Spouse's Spot

Financial

Military and Family Readiness

Your Personal Financial Readiness Team here at Joint Base Charleston offers a wide variety of workshops, both virtually and in-person, as well as one-on-one appointments to assist you and/or your active duty service member on your financial journey. Topics includes:

• Budgeting
• Investing
• TSP and BRS
• Car Buying
• Home Buying
• Debt Management
• Building Credit
• Student Loans
• And much more!

To schedule an appointment or reserve your spot in a workshop, call 843-963-8883 or visit https://jbcmfr.com/workshops-appointments/ to search for the next class and click RSVP!

Free H&R Block Tax Course for Spouses

Interested in obtaining a scholarship to take an H&R Block Income Tax Course for FREE?? If so, check out the information below!

Who is eligible? 

Military spouse of an active, retired or reserve military service member, Wounded Warriors (as defined by the DoD), Wounded Warrior’s spouse and widow/widower with DoD Identification card

When is registration? 

Registration is from July – August. Classes begin in September.

How do I obtain a scholarship? 

You first need to get a scholarship certificate with a valid code. You can get your scholarship certificate with a valid code from your employment services office on your installation OR from your local H&R Block office. Visit www.hrblock.com and enter local zip code in office locator search engine to find district office

How do I redeem my scholarship certificate? 

• Obtain the scholarship certificate with valid code from your employment services office on your installation or from H&R Block office. 
• Call 1-800-HRBLOCK (472-5625), enter zip code when prompted to be routed to an operator that will help you register for classes in your area. 
• When speaking to the operator, tell them you are a military spouse and provide the code located on the Scholarship certificate. 
• The operator will be able to inform you of the schedule of classes to find the course that best fits your schedule. 
• On your first day of classes, bring the scholarship certificate with you along with your military ID, as these items will be needed to verify your status as an eligible military spouse or wounded warrior.

Successful completion of the course may lead to employment opportunities with H&R Block. Please note: Successful completion of the Income Tax Course is not a guarantee of employment.

AFCPE Fellowship for Military Spouses

Are you interested in developing personal financial management skills while achieving career goals and enhancing job-related marketability? One way you can do this is by becoming an Accredited Financial Counselor.

The FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship program provides military spouses the opportunity to earn the AFC® (Accredited Financial Counselor®) certification—while providing financial counseling and education to the military community. The fellowship covers the costs associated with completing the AFC® training and testing.  

Who is eligible? Current spouses or surviving spouses of active-duty or retired Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Army or Air National Guard or reserve component service members, as well as to spouses of U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration professionals.

For more information, please visit https://www.afcpe.org/career-and-resource-center/finra-foundation-military-spouse-fellowship/ 

Free Tax Preparation and E-Filing Software

MilTax through MilitaryOneSource is free and comes with no-cost technical assistance and access to tax consultants, if needed. This is a benefit you’ve earned through your military service. MilTax services are always 100% free and there are no hidden surprises. This includes online tax preparation, federal and state filing, and support from MilTax consultants when you have questions.

Who is eligible? Active duty members, Guard, Reservists and their DEERS registered dependents. Also, veterans and their DEERS registered dependents for up to one year post-separation.

When is software available? Mid-January through mid-October.

To find out more information, you can call a MilTax consultant at 800-342-9647 or visit https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resource-center/miltax-military-tax-services

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Financial Assistance and Education

If you find your family is in an urgent financial need, the NMCRS may be able to provide an interest-free loan or grant, depending on your situation. Through financial counseling, they’ll also help you plan for better financial stability.

Who is eligible? Active duty or retired Sailors and Marines, eligible family members with military ID card, surviving spouses, reservists on active duty of 30 days or more.

How do I get more information on the assistance and resources available? To find out more about documents needed, qualifying situations and how to prepare for your appointment, please visit https://www.nmcrs.org/pages/financial-assistance-and-counseling 

To reach out to your local NMCRS director, you can email Charleston@nmcrs.org  or call (843) 794-7662.

Air Force Aid Society

The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS), Inc. is the official charity of the Air Force. Its charter is to promote the Air Force mission by helping “to relieve the distress of Air Force members and their families and assist in financial aspects of their education.” It is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The Society exists primarily to relieve the distress of military personnel of the United States Air Force, including personnel in Reserve and Air Guard components on extended active duty, retirees facing certain unique hardships, and the dependents of such military personnel, including the dependents of military personnel who are deceased. The Society also administers a robust array of education and community enhancement programs.

Who is eligible?

• Active duty Air Force members
• Air National Guard personnel on Title 32 USC 502(f) Full-Time Active Guard Reserve (AGR) orders
• Retired Air Force members (including Temporary Disability Retired List, [TDRL])
• Spouse of AF member who is enrolled in DEERS and holds valid military dependent ID card (with POA, see 2-5, Dependents of Active Duty)
• Dependent family members enrolled in DEERS holding valid military dependent ID card (see 2-5, Dependent Children of Military Members Residing with a Former Spouse)
• Dependents of deceased Air Force members enrolled in DEERS and holding valid military dependent ID card (Widows)
• Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve personnel on extended active duty OVER 15 DAYS, under Title 10, USC. Assistance is limited to emergencies incident to, or resulting from applicant’s active duty tour. In certain emergency situations, some members on active duty and away from home for less than 15 days may receive assistance on a case by-case basis when approved by HQ AFAS.
  

Employment

Military and Family Readiness

Your Employment Team here at Joint Base Charleston offers a wide variety of workshops, both virtually and in-person, as well as one-on-one appointments to assist you and/or your active duty service member on your civilian and employment needs. Topics include:

• Resume Writing – Civilian and Federal
• Effective Job Searching
• Career Exploration
• Interviewing Skills
• Building a LinkedIn/Increasing your LinkedIn Presence
• Negotiation
• And much more!

To schedule an appointment or reserve your spot in a workshop, call 843-963-8883 or visit https://jbcmfr.com/workshops-appointments/ to search for the next class and click RSVP!

Job Board

Are you wondering what employers local to the Lowcountry are actively seeking military spouses to add to their team? Look no further! Your Joint Base Charleston Employment Team has a job board with job opportunities posted by vetted, local employers. 

How do I access the local job board to look at job postings? Visit https://jbcjobs.jobboardhq.com/

SECO

The Department of Defense established the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program to provide education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide, offering comprehensive resources and tools related to career exploration, education, training and licensing, employment readiness and career connections. There are multiple programs that fall under SECO that will be beneficial to you as a military spouse.

You will need to create an account in order to access the variety of free resources SECO has to offer. The DS Logon you will need to create is a secure, self-service logon ID that allows Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs affiliates to access several websites using a single username and password. This DS Logon is required to access MySECO. You can get help with your DS Logon account in the following ways:

• Visit the My Access Center Help Center
• Call the DMDC/DEERS Support Office at 800-538-9552
• Call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 

Who is Eligible to access SECO resources? Military spouses of active-duty, National Guard and Reserve Component military members in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. Spouses of military members separated from active duty, National Guard and Reserve Components for less than 365 days. Surviving spouses of military members who died while on active duty.

Military One Source

As a military spouse, you have access to career coaches, assistance with writing a professional resume, and developing your interviewing skills and more for FREE!

How do I get more information on the resources available as a military spouse? You can call 800-342-9647  or visit https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/content/general/72

Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)

This is an employment and career partnership that connects military Spouses with more than 450 partners that have committed to recruit, hire, promote and retain military Spouses in portable careers. 

How do I get more information on the companies that are a part of the MSEP program?

Visit https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/msep/jobsearch

LinkedIn Premium Account

The SECO program and LinkedIn’s Military and Veterans Program partnered to offer military spouses moving due to a PCS and those within six months of separating from the military access to a one-year upgrade to LinkedIn Premium at no cost. 

How do I receive my Premium LinkedIn account? First, visit the MyTransition page of your MySECO account. Once you sign in or create your account, you can complete the required training in one of three ways: 

• Schedule a session with a SECO career coach by calling Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 or using the Live Chat feature on the MySECO website. 
• Register for an online live webinar that will provide guidance on how to leverage your LinkedIn Premium account. 
• Take the Leveraging LinkedIn Premium self-paced training course on MilLife Learning for tips on how to maximize your LinkedIn Premium account.

Education

SC Commission on Higher Education – SC Education Lottery

The South Carolina Education Lottery (grants and scholarships) all carry a residency requirement that the receiving student be a dependent or exemption of a SC resident at the time of high school graduation or college enrollment, depending on the scholarship (s) or grant(s) being pursued. As long as the military member is considered active duty and stationed in SC at those appropriate times, then their dependents or exemptions would qualify as well.

For more information, visit https://www.che.sc.gov/Students,FamiliesMilitary/PayingForCollege/FinancialAssistanceAvailable/ScholarshipsGrantsforSCResidents.aspx

My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA)

The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides eligible military spouses with up to $4,000 in financial assistance for licenses, certifications or associate degrees to pursue an occupation or career field.

Who is eligible to receive this scholarship? Spouses of active duty service members E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2 and O-1 to O-2 who have successfully completed high school and are able to request tuition assistance while their military sponsor is on Title 10 military orders. Spouses that are married to members of the National Guard and reserves in these same pay grades are also eligible.

Where can I get more information on this resource? You can call a SECO career coach at 800-342-9647 or visit https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/ 

SECO Scholarship Finder

Are you looking for scholarships to help fund your educational or career development goals? You can search for financial assistance resources and professional development opportunities that are offered specifically to military spouses and family members using the SECO Scholarship Finder.

Start searching today by visiting https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/spouseprofile/spousefundingsources/search 

Onward to Opportunity (O2O)

Onward to Opportunity is a FREE program that helps active duty, selected reserve, veterans, and military spouses learn business, technology, and customer service skills after military service. This program combines industry-validated courses, strong partnerships, and comprehensive career coaching to match participants with civilian job opportunities.

Who is eligible for Onward to Opportunity? Active duty service members that will be transitioning from military service to the civilian workforce in the next 6 months with an honorable discharge. Veterans that received an honorable discharge, active members of the U.S. National Guard and Reserve that is currently in part-time status, and spouses of any of the above categories are eligible.

What kind of courses are offered? There are over 30 courses in business, technology, and customer service, with some courses offering an industry certification exam.

To get more information on Onward to Opportunity, the enrollment process, O2O locations and how to apply call      315-443-0141 or visit https://ivmf.syracuse.edu/programs/career-training/  

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance

The Society’s Education Assistance Program offers interest-free loans and grants for undergraduate or master’s degree at an accredited 2- or 4-year post secondary, technical or vocational institution in the United States. 

Who is eligible? Children and spouses of active duty or retired Sailors and Marines (including retired Reservists drawing military retirement pay), children of deceased Sailors and Marines who died on active duty or after retirement and MECEP or MECP students (or selectees)

How can I find out more information about program? You can email or call the program manager at education@nmcrs.org / (703) 696-4960. You can also reach out to your local NMCRS director at Charleston@nmcrs.org  / (843) 794-7662. There is more information on the NMCRS website at https://www.nmcrs.org/pages/education-loans-and-scholarships 

Military Spouse – SC Licensing and Certifications

South Carolina Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation (LLR), promotes the health, safety and economic well-being of the public through regulation, licensing, enforcement, training and education. A Military Spouse identification link is available on their homepage where military spouses can submit their licensing application with priority recognition and processing. 

To get more information about eligibility and requirements, visit https://www.llr.sc.gov/military.aspx 

Transferring your Professional License and Licensure Reimbursement

The 2018 National Defense Authorization Act allows each service branch to reimburse spouses up to $1,000 for relicensure and certification costs that result from relocations or PCS moves that cross U.S. state lines – to include OCONUS to stateside moves.

To learn more about your sponsoring service branch reimbursement policy, state-sponsored reciprocal agreements and transferring your license, visit https://www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/for-spouses/education-training-licensing/transferring-your-professional-license-what-s-involved

Ombudsman/Key Spouse

Navy Ombudsmen and Air Force Key Spouses are key resources for family members, particularly during deployments. They Serve as a liaison between commands/squadrons and families and keep the commands/squadrons informed regarding the overall health, morale, and welfare of command families. 

Navy and Coast Guard Ombudsman

Coast Guard Cutter STONE- cgcstone.ombudsman@gmail.com 

Naval Support Activity- 628ombudsman@gmail.com

Naval Munitions Command- jbcnmcombudsman@gmail.com

NOSC Charleston- chsnoscombudsman@gmail.com

Nuclear Power Training Unit- Nptuombudsman@gmail.com  843- 323-9159

Naval Nuclear Power Training Command- nnptcombudsman@gmail.com  843-514-4948/ 843-296-9426

Coast Guard Cutter James- cgcjamesombudsman@gmail.com 

Naval Consolidated Brig- brigombudsmansc@gmail.com  843- 991-9028

Coast Guard Sector Charleston- secchas.ombudsman@gmail.com  843-303-5091 

Naval Health Clinic Beaufort- katie.l.shurling.civ@mail.mil 

Naval Health Clinic Charleston- nhcc.ombudsman@gmail.com 

Naval Installation Command Warfare- ombudsmanspawaratlantic@gmail.com 

Maritime Law Enforcement Academy- mleaombudsman@gmail.com 

Coast Guard Willow- dmoorewillowombudsman@gmail.com / jlockhartwillowombudsman@gmail.com  

Air Force Key Spouse

Please see dedicated page on site under “Our Programs”

Child Care/Parent Support

Family Child Care Program (In home) – For information call 843-963-2546

Child Development Center (CDC) 

Joint Base Charleston Child Development Centers are certified by the Department of Defense and are nationally accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Each program strives to provide a safe and nurturing environment. Training and Curriculum Specialists frequent classrooms to observe, mentor and provide support to staff to ensure they meet high standards of quality care. 

What ages can attend the CDCs? Children 6 weeks to 5 years old.

Who is eligible? Eligibility is contingent on the status of the sponsor. Eligible patrons include active-duty military personnel, DOD civilian employees paid from either appropriated funds or non-appropriated funds, Reserve Component military personnel on active duty or inactive duty training status, combat-related wounded warriors, surviving spouses of military members who died from a combat-related incident and eligible employees of DOD contractors.  

How can I apply? Visit www.MilitaryChildCare.com

For more information, visit https://www.jbcharleston.com/youth-family/ab-child-development-center/ 

Bundles for Babies

Bundles for Babies is a four hour Air Force Aid Society sponsored program created to assist expecting families in their transition to becoming parents. Some of the subjects covered are budgeting for new baby, car seat safety, dental care for Mom and Baby during/post pregnancy, WIC, car seat safety, and much more. All eligible service members receive a $50 AAFES gift card for attending. Air Force members, this satisfies the “birth of a child” mandatory financial touch point!

How do I register for this class? Visit https://jbcmfr.com/workshops-appointments/ to search for the next class and click RSVP!

Budget for Baby

This is an hour and a half Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society sponsored program to help expecting families learn how having a baby will impact their monthly budget. This class will cover budgeting, cutting costs, initial purchases, WIC, New Parent Support and much more! After completing the class, each family will receive a $50 gift card and a handcrafted blanket made by a NMCRS volunteer.  Navy, Marine and Coast Guard families are eligible to attend. Marine Corps members, this satisfies your MARADMIN(346/20) requirement.

How do I register for this class? Call (843) 794-7662 or email Charleston@nmcrs.org 

New Parent Support

This program was developed to assist military families in ways that friends and family would if they were  back home. This program offers expectant parents and parents of newborns and young children the opportunity to learn new skills as parents and to improve existing parenting skills.

Some of the classes that are offered at Joint Base Charleston include:

• Baby Basics
• Breastfeeding Class
• Infant CPR
• Dad’s Class
• And more!

To get more information on this program and upcoming classes, call (843)794-7421 for the Weapons Station and call (843)963-6852 for the Air Base

New to the Charleston Area

Here are some frequently asked about numbers to helping agencies:

• Base Operator- NWS 843-794-7000 AFB 843-963-1110
• School Liaison- NWS 843.794.7480 AFB 843.963.4406
• Employment- NAF non-appropriated fund Office Air Force Base 843.963.7280
• MFLC Military Family Life Counselor- NWS 843.371.6045 AFB 843.637.9847
• SARC Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Victim hotline 843.478.8615
• Volunteer Opportunities – NWS 843.794.7480 AFB 843.963.4406
• Base Chaplain- NWS 843.794.7222
• NHCC Navy Health Clinic Charleston NWS 794.6000
• EFMP Exceptional Family Member Program NWS 843.794.7480 AFB 843.963.4406
• FAP Family Advocacy Program- NWS 843-794.7496 AFB 843-963-6972
• Team Charleston Spouses Club – Social/Support Club info@teamcharlestonspousesclub.com
• FCC Family Child Care Programs (in home) 843.963.2546
• Military Child Care 855.696.2934 www.militarychildcare.com
• Youth Center- NWS 843.794.7809 AFB 843.963.5684
• Legal- NWS 843.794.7644 AFB 843.963.5502
• Tricare South- 800.444.5445
• American Red Cross- Emergency Assistance 877.272.7337 www.redcross.org
• COMPASS- Mentoring program for navy spouses http://www.gocompass.org/charleston.html
• Personal Property Office NWS- 843.794.7577
• DEERS (ID Cards) NWS 843.794.7771 AFB 843.963.4521 www.dmdc.osd.mil/self_service
• Educational resources- https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/

NMCRS Navy Marine Corp Relief Society Interest free loans and more 1004 Jefferson Ave Bldg. 717 Goose Creek, SC 29445. Hours of operation: Mon, Wed, Fri 0900-1500 Tue, Thurs.1000-1600 843.794.7662/4175 www.nmcrs.org

NWC- Navy Wives Club Castaways Thrift Shop household items, clothes, uniforms etc. Behind Balfour Beatty housing office. ours of operation: Tue, Thurs, Sat, 1000-1400

Airman’s Attic- (E-5 and below only) receive a variety of free donated goods West Hill Blvd & North O’Neall Ave Bldg.1950 JB Charleston Air Force Base 29404 Hours of operation: Wed, Thu, Fri 1100-1300 843.963.4408

Military One Source:
24 hr. military support for various needs https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
**If you still don’t know who to call, call your Military Family Readiness Center 843-963-8883 **