62.5K
Downloads
341
Episodes
Conversations about the challenges military-connected kids face as they navigate multiple education systems from birth through high school.
Episodes
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Description: Military and veteran kids experience unique stressors that may influence their decisions to engage in risky behaviors such as underage drinking. Join MCEC and Responsibility.org as we bring together experts to discuss how talking with your teens and young adults about alcohol early and often is the best way to keep them safe.
Thank you to the Fort Lee Area Spouses Club for their support of this podcast.
https://www.fortleeareaspousesclub.com/
Resources:
Understanding Youth Substance Use: For Military Parents and Caregivers
NMFA and Bloom Survey
https://www.militaryfamily.org/the-military-teen-experience/
https://www.responsibility.org/
Advice for Parents from Parents
https://www.responsibility.org/prevent-underage-drinking/talking-to-kids-about-alcohol
Advice for Parents from Experts on Talking to Teens
https://www.responsibility.org/prevent-underage-drinking/end-teenage-drinking/parenting-teens/
https://www.responsibility.org/prevent-underage-drinking
Bio:
Tim Farrell, MCEC’s Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer (COO), is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel who served for more than 23 years. Before joining MCEC, Tim served as the CEO of the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO), and as COO and interim President & CEO of Operation Homefront.
Having balanced his military service and raising his children for many years, Tim has a personal understanding of the difficulties military families face during periods of transition. He is a strong believer in using this experience to serve his community through his work on the World Affairs Council of San Antonio’s Board of Trustees and the City of San Antonio’s Veterans Affairs Commission, as well as his selection as the inaugural board chair of Students of Service (SOS) - San Antonio.
Tim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rutgers University (where he also played college football), a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and an executive certificate in Transformational Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife Gina live in San Antonio with their two sons, Aidan and Keagan.
Chris R. Swonger
Chris serves as the President & CEO of both the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Mr. Swonger has extensive experience guiding corporations to lead in business while playing a positive role in communities through proactive engagement. With over 25 years of experience in the public and private sector, Mr. Swonger brings extensive experience breaking down the traditional barriers that exist between corporations, non-government organizations and activist groups by facilitating consensus-based outcomes and knowledge leading industry in corporate social responsibility strategies.
Dr. Katie Friedman is a board-certified pediatrician, writer, spokesperson, and mother. Dr. Friedman completed her residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital at the University of Miami and currently practices pediatric emergency medicine in South Florida. Along with her sisters, she is also a co-founder of ForeverFreckled.com, where she serves as an educator and spokesperson.
Using her passion for preventive medicine and pediatric safety, Dr. Friedman has worked alongside several educational initiatives, such as KnowYourOTCs, Talk Early, and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, to guide parents through obstacles of childhood safety, illness prevention, and pediatric medicine. In addition to her hospital work and writing obligations, she also serves as a medical correspondent for Lifetime’s Access Health and The Balancing Act.
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Description: Military and veteran kids experience unique stressors that may influence their decisions to engage in risky behaviors such as underage drinking. Join MCEC and Responsibility.org as we bring together experts to discuss how talking with your kids about alcohol early and often is the best way to keep them safe.
Thank you to the Fort Lee Area Spouses Club for their support of this podcast.
https://www.fortleeareaspousesclub.com/
Show Notes:
- Understanding Youth Substance Use: For Military Parents and Caregivers
https://www.nctsn.org/resources/understanding-youth-substance-use-for-military-parents-and-caregivers - Responsibility.org https://www.responsibility.org/
- Talking to Tweens About Alcohol: https://asklistenlearn.org/parents/conversations-and-communication/
- Ask,Listen, Learn: https://asklistenlearn.org/
Infographic on Ask, Listen, Learn Conversation starters
- English
- Spanish: https://asklistenlearn.org/materials/spanish-language-building-communications-infographic/?lessonplan=Parents
- Advice for Parents from Parents https://www.responsibility.org/prevent-underage-drinking/talking-to-kids-about-alcohol
Bio:
Tim Farrell, MCEC’s Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer (COO), is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel who served for more than 23 years. Before joining MCEC, Tim served as the CEO of the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO), and as COO and interim President & CEO of Operation Homefront.
Having balanced his military service and raising his children for many years, Tim has a personal understanding of the difficulties military families face during periods of transition. He is a strong believer in using this experience to serve his community through his work on the World Affairs Council of San Antonio’s Board of Trustees and the City of San Antonio’s Veterans Affairs Commission, as well as his selection as the inaugural board chair of Students of Service (SOS) - San Antonio.
Tim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rutgers University (where he also played college football), a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and an executive certificate in Transformational Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife Gina live in San Antonio with their two sons, Aidan and Keagan.
Chris R. Swonger
Chris serves as the President & CEO of both the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Mr. Swonger has extensive experience guiding corporations to lead in business while playing a positive role in communities through proactive engagement. With over 25 years of experience in the public and private sector, Mr. Swonger brings extensive experience breaking down the traditional barriers that exist between corporations, non-government organizations and activist groups by facilitating consensus-based outcomes and knowledge leading industry in corporate social responsibility strategies.
Dr. Katie Friedman
Dr. Friedman is a board-certified pediatrician, writer, spokesperson, and mother. She currently practices pediatric emergency medicine in South Florida. Along with her two sisters, Dr. Friedman is co-founder of ForeverFreckled.com, guiding parents through obstacles of childhood safety, illness prevention, and pediatric medicine. She also serves as a medical correspondent for Lifetime’s Access Health and The Balancing Act.
Friday May 20, 2022
Friday May 20, 2022
Description: The Botts family shares how taking a gap year provided their son with opportunities they didn't know he needed.
This podcast was made possible thanks to the support of the Mountain Home AFB Officers Spouses Club
https://www.mountainhomeosc.org/
Show Notes:
https://www.springcanyon.org/peak-internship/
Bio:
Morgan Botts is the 19-year-old son of an Air Force Chaplain. He was born along the east coast in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is currently living in Buena Vista, Colorado, where he serves as a staff member for Spring Canyon Christian Conference Center. After completing the gap-year program at Spring Canyon, Morgan intends to finish his final semester of an Associates of Arts degree in General Studies from Southeastern University this upcoming fall.
Thursday May 12, 2022
Thursday May 12, 2022
Description: The MCEC webinar team has a great conversation with Natalie Mack, experienced homeschool mom and HSLDA’s Military Outreach Coordinator, about resources to help military families make the most out of homeschooling.
This podcast was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Eielson Spouses Club.
https://eielsonspousesclub.com/
Homeschool Resources for Military families
https://hslda.org/community/resources-for-military-families
Tracking Your Child’s Education:
https://militarybenefits.info/homeschooling-military-child/
Special Needs: Planning, Evaluating and Recordkeeping:
https://hslda.org/teaching-my-kids/special-needs/planning-evaluating-and-recordkeeping
MCEC’s Homeschooling Basics for Military Families new to homeschooling
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eGHnscc6SZWMfNzFBAZ3tg
Bio:
Natalie Mack is an author, speaker, and veteran home educator with over twenty-one years of experience providing leadership and service to military homeschooling families. She is known for her words of encouragement and being a staunch advocate for homeschooling families, particularly during the journey from high school to college. She is a mom of five children: three college graduates, one college sophomore and a 9th grader. Natalie is the spouse of a recently retired Navy Chaplain and enjoyed serving alongside him during his 34 years of active-duty military service.
Natalie currently serves as President of Belvoir Home Educators, a large, active, military homeschool support group in Northern Virginia. In 2020, she became an HSLDA High School Educational Consultant and has served as the Military Outreach Coordinator for HSLDA since 2021. In this role she provides educational consultation to military members, speaks at homeschooling conferences and hosts military homeschooling Facebook live events and webinars. Natalie has authored several articles about homeschooling and is currently working on two books, “100 Tips for Homeschoolers” and “Homeschooling on the Move: Military Style”. She can be contacted at military@hslda.org or Natalie-Mack.com
Thursday May 05, 2022
Thursday May 05, 2022
Description: MIC3 Commissioner Laura Anastasio discusses the facts of the Military Interstate Compact and why this resource is so valuable to military students.
This podcast was made possible thanks to the generous support from the:
Funder: Hanscom Spouses Club
https://hanscomsc.org/index.html
Show Notes
- Parent toolkit: https://mic3.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ParentTrainingToolkit_Revised-2021.pdf
- One Pager: https://mic3.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/one-pager-information2.pdf
- Parent Guide: https://indd.adobe.com/view/f41d20ad-3121-4c98-ab68-61c4b7daec69
- Find your school liaison: https://mic3.net/school-liaisons/
Bio: Laura Anastasio
Laura Anastasio is a staff attorney with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) and serves as the Commissioner Designee for the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children. Her responsibilities at the CSDE include providing assistance to the general public and school districts regarding the application of the state’s education laws, including but not limited to school health and nutrition, tenure, truancy, home instruction, attendance, graduation requirements, adult education, priority schools, duties of boards of education, racial imbalance, bullying, school construction, school accountability, private schools, and student rights. She also is responsible for reviewing all contracts for the CSDE and providing guidance to staff concerning compliance with FERPA and with the Freedom of Information Act, and she oversees contract negotiations under the Connecticut Teacher Negotiations Act. She has worked for the CSDE for 17 years. Prior to her employment with the State of Connecticut, she was an associate at Shipman & Goodwin LLP, specializing in education law. Laura received her B.A. from Emory University and her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Thursday Apr 28, 2022
Thursday Apr 28, 2022
Description: Hannah shares how being a military connected kid helped in her quest for swimming in college.
#FindHome
Show Notes:
https://fausports.com/sports/swimming-and-diving/roster/hannah-garner/11199
Bio:
Howdy! My name is Hannah Garner. I am a full-time Division 1 student-athlete at Florida Atlantic University with a marketing major and minor in Hospitality and Tourism. In addition, I am a military brat. I have moved a total of eight times plus moving to college. One of those times was during high school which is the peak season for college recruitment. In my free time, I like to paint, volunteer, and read.
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
Thursday Apr 21, 2022
Description:
Hannah chats about her identity struggle when her dad retired from the military and how she found a way to stay connected to her military roots.
Show Notes:
Third Culture Kids: http://www.crossculturalkid.org/
Capstone Paper:
Hannah Rauhut
Hannah is a born and bred military brat with a passion for sharing the stories of military families like her own. Shortly after she graduated from Messiah University with degrees in English and Communication, her dad retired from the Army and she had to surrender her military ID, prompting a low-key identity crisis. In an effort to stay connected to her military roots, she joined the NMFA team with the hope of building and supporting relationships within the military community. Hannah lives with her husband (a Navy brat—enough said) in Germany where they work with military middle and high school teens through Club Beyond (Young Life Military).
Thursday Apr 14, 2022
Thursday Apr 14, 2022
Alana shares the highlights and the challenges related to being a third culture kid.
Bio:
Alana has been a Military Kid since the day she was born on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, January 2010. 12 years later, Alana is and will continue to be a military kid until her dad decides to retire.
At 5 months old, Alana moved from Hawaii to California, where she lived for almost 3 1/2 years and due to different circumstances had to relocate to three different homes. As a baby she was already experiencing daddy’s many absences due to his military training and long deployments, one being Afghanistan. A few days before her 4th Birthday she was getting ready to take a long flight to her new home in Okinawa, Japan, where she lived for about 3 years and learned to embrace Okinawa’s culture. After Okinawa, she moved to Iwakuni, Japan where she lived for 3 1/2 years and developed a love for Japanese food, and the mainland Japan culture. Today, Alana is living back in the place where all started, Oahu, Hawaii. She currently lives on Marine Corps Base Hawaii and has been for 1 1/2 years. She attends Mokapu elementary school as a 6th grader, also on base, where she interacts with many other military kids.
As a military kid, Alana has had many adventures and experiences but has also had to overcome the many challenges that come with it. ***
Thursday Apr 07, 2022
Thursday Apr 07, 2022
Jasmine talks candidly about her struggle with anxiety and her determination to normalize the conversation about mental health.
Show Notes:
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
https://www.cohenveteransnetwork.org/
https://www.barryrobinson.org/
Bio:
Jasmine has been a Military Kid on and off since the day she was born on Marine Corp Base Camp Pendleton in California, November 7, 2005. 16 years later she continued to be a military kid while her mom serves in the United States Air Force.
Soon after birth, Jasmine’s dad finished his commitment with the United States Marine Corps and settled on living in their hometown. Jasmine grew up near family in southern California until the age of eight when her mom’s job relocated her and the family to Okinawa Japan. Relocating to a new country was challenging for Jasmine but over the three years of living there she learned to embrace and love the Okinawan culture. Three years later Jasmine’s mom left for training and Jasmine prepared for a PCS to Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath in England. Living in England afforded Jasmine more experiences but with that came the challenge of transition once again. Jasmine attended Middle school and her first year of high school on Lakenheath and embraced the culture and sense of community of living on base. In October of 2020, Jasmines family relocated to the outskirts of San Antonio Texas. Making the transition stateside was the most challenging, as Jasmine had become accustomed to living overseas. Mid Freshman year she transitioned to a local high school in her new town but then sophomore year she started at Randolph High School on JBSA- Randolph where she currently attends as a sophomore. Jasmine is part of the AFJROTC program, S2S, Girl Scouts, and enjoys powerlifting and swimming.
Jasmine loves being a military kid and is thankful for the travels, learning, friendships, community and being close to her family but acknowledges that it has also brought challenges for her to work through.
Thursday Mar 31, 2022
Thursday Mar 31, 2022
Our “Purple Up” series kicks off with an overview of MCEC's events in April celebrating Month of the Military Child.
Use #MilKidStrong on social media to recognize a military-connected child in your community and share their story; #MOMC and #MonthoftheMilitaryChild for discussion throughout the month and #PurpleUp for promotion and celebration of Purple Up Day on April 14th in your area.
Show Notes:
Month of the Military Child (MOMC) Digital Toolkit:
https://www.militarychild.org/MOMC_Toolkit
Resources to Support Ukrainian Military Children & Their Families
https://www.militarychild.org/resourcesukrainianfamilies
Hiring Our Heroes
https://www.hiringourheroes.org/career-services/military-spouse-resources/
Bio: Lisa Witte
Lisa Witte is MCEC’s Director of Marketing and Communications. A native of Iowa, she has lived the military lifestyle for over twenty years as her family has moved around to different Navy duty stations. Lisa has an extensive background in advertising and has worked at agencies on both the East and West Coasts on national brand accounts. At MCEC, she is responsible for promoting awareness of MCEC’s services and communicating on behalf of the organization. She has a degree in Advertising from Iowa State University, and resides in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children.