One-stop shop: Help available saving time, money Published Aug. 2, 2006 By Senior Airman Cassandra Locke 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- The Defense Department has created a place to visit when an Airman or family member needs assistance with anything. It's similar to the Air Force Portal, but deals more with an array of overall military concerns. Military One Source available 24/7. The services include everything from common, everyday difficulties that might face a family to life's most complicated situations. It can be used electronically or people can call for the services provided. Military OneSource provides Airmen and their family members with information and resources that can help improve many areas of life, from personal to professional. Military OneSource can help with the following: Personal and relationship issues. Military OneSource can help with issues including depression, addiction and recovery, stress, grief and loss, relationships or issues related to deployment. In addition, free face-to-face counseling sessions can be arranged in your local community. Child care and parenting issues. Specialized consultants can help with locating licensed child care providers in your area, as well as help with other parenting issues, such as ways to help your children succeed with homework or how to help your children adjust to a move. Deployment and reunion issues. Through both the Web site and the toll-free number, Airmen can locate information for service members and their families about dealing with deployment. There is information provided on the site about staying connected with children while deployed. Education. Information about education issues of special interest to military families is available on the Web site and by phone. K-12. Help locating a school when moving, understanding school ratings, finding homeschooling resources or evaluating public and private schools. College. Assistance with college applications, plus information and resources on financial aid, scholarships, and obtaining credit for military experience. Spouse training, education, and career. Military OneSource consultants can help military spouses focus on a career path that uses their strengths, identify work that travels well, find training and education, find jobs, move to a new career area and develop their interviewing and resume-writing skills. Elder care issues. Finding help caring for a parent or grandparent can be a challenge for many service members. Specialized consultants can help with finding elder care. Those that use the Web site also have access to information on Medicare and Medicaid, dependent care costs, prescription drug assistance, medical insurance and Social Security. Money matters. The Military OneSource financial team can help with budgeting, debt reduction, credit issues and tax preparation. Financial planners are available by appointment for more detailed financial concerns. The Web site provides additional financial resources, including calculators for loans, debt reduction and budgeting. Legal issues. Military OneSource legal services are provided as a supplement to the Legal Assistance Office. The Military OneSource legal team includes licensed attorneys who can provide legal information and education. Violence and trauma. Military OneSource consultants can help Airmen talk with their children about issues of war and violence. They also provide information, resources, and counseling on issues related to emergencies and natural disasters, including planning and preparedness. Relocation. Military OneSource also can help Airmen make a smooth move to a new duty station. Military OneSource can help with finding an apartment, locate child care providers, find gyms, find music lessons for your children or find a quality summer camp. Military OneSource consultants can provide information on your new installation, as well as neighborhood reports on the new community. Transition to civilian life. With Military OneSource, you can access information about life after the military -- including retirement calculators, education and career opportunities, and travel. Healthy habits. Military OneSource offers information on health and related issues, including relationships, infertility and mental health. The Web site offers articles related to specific issues, including how to stay healthy and help for children with special needs. Consumer issues and travel. On the Military OneSource Web site, Airmen can find information to help become a better consumer, along with links to discounts for service members and their families. Translation assistance. Through Military OneSource, Airmen can have written documents translated or there can be a three-way phone call with an interpreter to ensure communication between the user and a third party. All translated documents will be notarized and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Face-to-face counseling. A Military OneSource consultant can refer service members or eligible family members to licensed professional counselors in the local community for six sessions per issue at no cost to the Airman or family member. Face-to-face counseling is designed to address short-term issues dealing with relationships, grief and loss, adjustment to deployment, stress management, parenting or combat stress. The toll-free numbers for Military One Source are: --From the United States: (800) 342-9647. -- From outside the United States (where available): (800) 3429-6477. --International collect: (484) 530-5747. Why should I call Military OneSource? Military OneSource helps save time and money by researching questions; supplying solid, reliable information; and providing valuable services. Use Military OneSource to seek help early, before a minor problem turns into a major one. With the Military OneSource team of master's-level consultants; you can deal with several issues at one time -- all within the privacy of your home. Consultants answer the telephone "live" and can also respond to e-mail questions. They also follow up to make sure you've received the help you need. (Information courtesy of www.militaryonesource.com)