As military spouses, encouraging and helping each other is a very important ingredient in our community. Our choices also impact our families and the way they adapt and cope with our dynamic lives.

This week's Spouse Calls (click here to read) is about the wife of World War II hero Gen. Jimmy Doolittle. Josephine "Joe" Doolittle is remembered as a hero in her own right by her granddaughter, Jonna Doolittle Hoppes. Jonna told me about the ways her grandmother inspired her and many others.

How have you been affected by other military spouses in your life? Whose example do you follow in terms of your attitudes and actions?

During this holiday season, a family emergency called me back to the States. With all that an unplanned trip of that nature requires, I  saw several of this year's Spouse Calls subjects come to life like friendly ghosts of columns past.

From Red Cross notification and verification, military provision of airfare for emergencies, to guest passes and driving privileges for visiting family members, I was reminded of the importance of good information in a difficult situation.

After this week's column, featuring a letter from a Marine mom, Stacey, a Navy mom wrote to tell me about an organization especially for mothers of service members. It is called Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc., and provides support, encouragement and information for moms and dads.

Click here to see their Web site.

Thanks, Stacey, for the great information.

The military postal service outdid itself this week. I sent my husband a package that I hoped would arrive by Christmas. Instead, it traveled from Germany to Iraq in only two days. I thought this must be some kind of aberration, until I talked to my friend, Nancy. Her husband is deployed here in Germany. He mailed a package back to the states, which Nancy received in two days. The folks moving our mail through the APO system must be working around the clock!

This week's spouse calls (click here to read) has some suggestions for staying in touch with deployed loved ones by phone, mail, letter and care package.