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PETS
Taking care of your pets during
deployment. CLICK HERE to read
more.
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OVERSEAS MAIL
Mail addressed to military post offices overseas is subject to
certain conditions or restrictions. To learn more about
the United States Post Office mailing policies, visit the
United States Postal Service.
The United
States Postal Service is offering free packing materials to spouses and
families of military member who are deployed overseas. To take advantage
of this service call:
1-800-610-8734 and press 1 (for English & then 3 for an operator) and they
will send you free boxes, packing materials, tape and mailing labels. These
products are to be used to mail care packages to service members.
Free Shipping Supplies from the United States
Post Office
To obtain a free kit of shipping supplies, simply call the USPS packing
supplies order line at 1-800-610-8734, select option #1 ("Express Mail, Priority
Mail or Global Express Guaranteed products"), and ask a customer service agent
for a "military kit". You need supply only your name, address, and phone number
and they'll get a kit off to you that should arrive within 7-10 days. We've
tried this service ourselves: it was easy to use, the USPS customer service
agent we dealt with was courteous and efficient, and we were supplied with a
customer ID number to expedite the process of ordering additional supplies.
(This offer includes only packing materials - senders who use these materials
still have to pay the requisite postage themselves.)
TRICARE UPDATE:
Information has
been posted under
Guard
Knowledge Online on how much National Guard/Reservists will have to
pay to buy into TRICARE when they have served at least 90 days in support
of a contingency operation. Once you are logged into
Guard Knowledge Online,
select "ARNG" at menu bar, select "Personnel Division" under "Human
Resources (G1)", select DEERS/RAPIDS and within this page you will see a
link listed under "Current News" on the right side.
Do you
know who is listening to your conversations?
The Criminal Investigative Department (CID) suggests that when you are
talking to your loved ones, especially our service members who are overseas,
that you use a regular phone rather than a cordless. Cordless phone
conversations can be picked up and listened in by anyone since the signal
from a cordless phone can be a very strong one. Also, be aware that
whenever you are on your cordless phone and you are providing banking
information, credit card information, etc. that your information may end up
in the wrong hands. While the cordless phone is a convenience, safety
should be our first concern.
To
report suspicious activity - call the Homeland Security Hotline -
1-800-492-8477.
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WEB
SCAM INVOLVING PURCHASING AIRLINE TICKETS ON-LINE
For you information. Use caution when purchasing airline tickets
online. The following airline ticketing Internet websites have been
identified to be scams.
www. BusySky.net
www. CheapClouds.com
www. CrazyTickets.net
www. SubmitPrice.net
These sites attract customers by undercutting airline ticket prices
offered elsewhere. They capture your credit card information,
including account number, expiration date, and CVV (an anti-fraud
security feature on credit cards). The customer receives a message
stating that the credit card transaction has been declined, followed
by instructions to wire funds for payment of the tickets. This scam
is quite clever in that unlike the usual phishing scam. They have
not initiated the contact; the customer has by doing a web search
for the best ticket prices. This creates a false perception of
legitimacy. If successful, they will have obtained the customers'
credit card information (sufficient to do mail order, phone order,
or internet order), the customers' funds (if wired), and deposit
account information (origination of wire). The Secret Service has
been informed of the sites.
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E-MAIL
Having email is an effective way to communicate with
your military spouse if he / she is deployed or to communicate with our
Family
Assistance Centers. Please visit
“Army Knowledge Online” (AKO) to
register for a free email account. If you do not have access to a
computer, most local libraries have computers for public use (free of charge).
To
obtain an account, please visit
http://www.us.army.mil
and follow the instructions as prompted. The number for the AKO helpdesk for
further information is 877-256-8737.
**Please take note that your
spouse's location during mobilization will determine his /her
access and availability of a computer. |
