Casualty notification is a subject we don't like to think about, but one we can't ignore. A friend and fellow spouse wrote to me to suggest I write about this issue. "I think it would be very beneficial to know as spouses, and in case we need to inform a friend during this time of war," she wrote.

Read the column on this subject. (Spouse Calls, July 29)

     Here are some links to additional information regarding casualty notification and bereavement.

The dental clinic serving active duty members and their families at Garmisch will close as of Sept. 28, the Europe Regional Dental Command announced in late July. Read this week's Spouse Calls (Aug. 5) for a question from a spouse affected by the closure.

For more information see the Stars & Stripes story by Charlie Coon, and read the ongoing Spouse Calls thread about dental care and the Garmisch clinic.

Knowing other kids who go through the same trials, such as moving and deployment, may help our children know they are not alone. Reading books about military kids may also help.

Here are a few books military kids can relate to:

“My favorite part of being a military brat is that I know that someone in my family is helping the world be a better place,” said Makenna, a fourth-grader from Ramstein Intermediate School. "The worst part is that you have to move a lot of times while your mom or dad are in the military,” she added.
Makenna and other students in Mrs. Kathy Keith's class shared their ideas about the ups and downs of military life in the July 22 Spouse Calls. Here are their thoughts:

For anyone who may not have seen the news about the recall of toys sold at AAFES, click here for Stars & Stripes story and a list of recalled items.

A question from a reader, Debby, in the July 15 Spouse Calls illustrates that seeking civilian dental providers can be a challenge for military families living overseas. Military dental facilities provide care to family members on a space available basis, but in some situations, civilian care is necessary for spouses and children.

Off base/post care is covered by Tricare through United Concordia Companies, Inc., but guidance in how to utilize these services is difficult to find, Debby discovered.

Patients (who must be enrolled in the Tricare Dental Program) must make appointments and payment, then file paperwork with UCCI for reimbursement. Click here for OCONUS claim form.

After seeing a post on the Spouse Calls blog from a spouse of an Iraq war veteran with PTSD, a reader in Texas wrote to tell me about her father, who is still traumatized by his experiences in WWII. The effects of combat are far reaching for veterans and their families.

Dr. Aphrodite Matsakis, a psychologist who has worked with veterans and their families for 30 years, has written “Back From the Front” (Sidran Institute Press, 2007.) The book is about the impact of combat trauma on the spouse and family, as well as the veteran.

Matsakis said her book was intended to provide information on several key points:

In a recent Spouse Calls (July 1) a spouse writes about suffering along with her husband as he struggles with post traumatic stress disorder. Many veterans experience combat trauma to some degree following a deployment, whether or not they develop PTSD, and their families are affected.

Find out more about PTSD and those who struggle with it: