By Robert L. Gordon III

With the winter weather we’ve seen in many parts of the country recently, it’s hard to imagine that the April tax season is around the corner.  Now is a great time to start preparing your 2011 tax returns.  Between relocations and deployments, getting your taxes in order can be a hassle, so we want to make sure that you have the support you need.  I am pleased to announce that the Military OneSource Free Tax Filing Service is back!

If you are eligible under the Military OneSource program, you can complete, save, and file your 2011 federal and up to three state tax returns online for free with the H&R Block At Home® tool.  To access this free service, use the Military OneSource H&R Block At Home® link.  Your first step is to log in to Military OneSource (new users will need to create a Military OneSource account).  From there, you will be directed to a page with additional information on tax preparation, including a link to the Military OneSource H&R Block At Home® service.

The Military OneSource free tax filing service is designed to help military families complete their tax returns with ease.  It’s fast and secure and H&R Block guarantees that your calculations are 100 percent accurate.  Once you create an account, you can work at your own pace and save, close, and return to your taxes as often as you need to.  If you get stuck, have a question, or have to go track down a form, you can logout without starting over! For information about deductions, exemptions, and filing deadlines visit the Military OneSource Tax Program page.

In addition to filing your taxes for free, you can get support from trained tax consultants through Military OneSource. You can call 1-800-342-9647 and ask to speak with a Military OneSource tax consultant seven days a week from 7am to 11pm.  Military OneSource tax consultants understand the unique issues related to military personnel and can help you make informed decisions about your specific situation.  If you have questions about your taxes or need help filling out the online forms, Military OneSource tax consultants are ready to assist.

Before you sit down to start your return, try to gather as much data as you can ahead of time, like W-2 forms from all your employers, medical and dental expenses, child care and/or adoption costs, investment income forms, social security benefits, student loan interest forms, and home mortgage interest forms.  If you created an H&R Block at Home® account last year, then your login information will still work, and you’ll be able to access last year’s personal tax information.  Whether you are trying this service for the first time or are a returning user, remember to access the H&R Block At Home® service through Military OneSource to get the service for free. If you go straight to H&R Block, you will be charged!

If you used the H&R Block at Home® service last year or have any additional questions for us, please join our discussion.  We are always happy to hear from you and we’d love to know what you think of the service.  You have between now and Tuesday, April 17^th to file your taxes, so don’t delay!  Get started now to avoid last minute hassle and stress and be sure to take advantage of the resources available for military families that can make this tax season as smooth as possible.  Until next time, be well!

By Robert L. Gordon III

Military couples are resilient and strong. They have learned to adapt to challenges such as deployments and relocations, leveraging these times as opportunities for growth and exploration. But, when a couple finds out they are having a child, they confront a new set of challenges. New parents may have imagined being home to experience the first few months of their child’s life, but deployments can make that impossible.

New mothers and fathers may have imagined having their own parents close for support with their newborn, only to find themselves hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from extended family and friends. We understand the unique challenges that military parents must face, and there are resources and services in place to ensure that new parents—no matter where they are located—are empowered with the resources they need.

Your installation’s New Parent Support Program (NPSP) is designed to support military families with adapting to parenthood and to thrive. The program supports military families who are expecting a child or who have a child or children up to three years of age. The NPSP provides important benefits such as home visits by NPSP staff, supervised playgroups, parenting classes, and access to books, booklets, and other written materials on parenting.

NPSP staff members are credentialed professionals in your communities who know the answers to your questions and can refer you to additional resources when necessary. Information shared with the staff is confidential, so new parents can share their worries and concerns in a safe and non-judgmental environment with a supportive person.

During a requested home visit, the NPSP staff member provides advice regarding normal growth and development and addresses common concerns regarding issues such as nutrition, behavior management, sleep challenges, and more. New parents can also take parenting classes to learn more about positive parenting, family communication and problem solving. The NPSP can put you in touch with local resources, play groups, and other fun activities for your family.

What makes this program so valuable is the relationship that new parents form with the NPSP staff. If you are a new parent or you are expecting a child soon, I encourage you to contact your local NPSP and meet with a staff member as soon as you can. Sign up for free weekly emails full of advice and tips, or check out important information and podcasts on relevant parenting topics through MilitaryHOMEFRONT. Please join our discussion. Have you worked with your installation’s NPSP? Do you have additional advice for new parents or questions of your own? Please share your thoughts!

The first three years of child development are critical. The NPSP is here to help. Congratulations to all of our new military families and families-to-be out there! Until next time, be well!

Robert L. Gordon III, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy)

Last week, I had the honor of speaking at the fourth annual “Business Steps Up:  Hiring Our Heroes Event” held at the United States Chamber of Commerce.  The energy and excitement surrounding the hiring of our military veterans and spouses was amazing!  People from all sectors of our society—from NGOs, government agencies, private businesses, and academia—are pledging their support to empower our veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.

The event, which featured a keynote address by the First Lady, highlighted the positive steps we are making towards our goal of providing military families with the services and support they deserve. It brought together leaders from both the private and public sectors to recognize businesses that have gone above and beyond to employ talented military veterans and spouses.  I am so pleased with the progress we have made.  To date, the Hiring Our Heroes Program has connected more than 44,000 military veterans and spouses with more than 2,200 employers in 36 states, and more than 3,000 of those veterans and spouses have found employment. 

In addition, the Military Spouse Employment Program (MSEP), which has reached 96 partners, has pledged to employ 20,000 military spouses by 2013. The International Franchise Association, a partnership that represents 1,000 business franchises, has committed to hiring 80,000 veterans by 2014!  These are real numbers and real people that will be helped because of the joint efforts of so many.  All of this grows out of a larger effort by Mrs. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden through their work on the Joining Forces Initiative, which brings Americans together to recognize, honor, and take action to support military families.

These events and initiatives highlight the firm dedication and commitment within the DoD to join with others to help our military families find meaningful employment and get the support they deserve.  The past few years have seen high unemployment rates and a tightening of fiscal policies and budgets across the country.  But that does not mean that we need to go back to the old motto of doing more with less.  The way forward, the best way to support our military families, involves doing better differently. We can achieve our goals, but we must look outward and change the way we think. We must customize our programs to meet the needs of our veterans, spouses, and service members so that they can compete in the 21^st century.

We at DoD cannot do this alone.  Nor should we.  We must forge successful partnerships with businesses and people that bring new ideas, energy, and focus to our mission.  We must work with employers, NGOs, communities, government agencies, and academia to tap into their ideas, talents, and resources, to mind share with them to get the best results for our military families.  Tapping into this diversity of perspective and experience is critical, and together we can build the trust we need to best support our military families.  We will do it with the same enthusiasm and courage our military families display every day.

And it’s working. The passion and excitement I saw at the Hiring Our Heroes event is another reminder that we are on the right track.  Our mind share is growing by the day.  New people and businesses from different sectors are joining together to share resources and ideas in support of our military families.  If you have questions, comments, and suggestions for us as we move forward, please join our discussion.  We need to hear from you to truly understand how these efforts are impacting your lives on a daily basis.  I am thankful for and proud of these partnerships and of the opportunities they provide to help our military families thrive!  Until next time, be well.