Get involved

While your soldier (airman, seaman, or marine) is gone, you can busy yourself by volunteering.  A woman doesn't have to "work" to contribute to the family and the community. I work from home but volunteering gives you that warm feeling inside. The military bases have tons of opportunities for volunteers. If you want to give more than just the base itself. Here are some ideas:

Start gathering toys for children of lower ranking personnel for Christmas.
Start a food pantry to give to those in need on base.
Start a coat drive.
(With these keep in mind: you never know someone's personal business. Hard times can fall on anyone!)

Off base:
Do the same as above.
Take sleeping bags to the homeless.
Gather old (still in good condition clothing) to give to those who can't buy new clothes or the homeless.
Take bags of canned food to the needy.
Volunteer to clean your church or mow the lawn
Pick up trash at your local park (use gloves)
Paint over graffitti
Volunteer at a local soup kitchen
Don't have a soup kitchen...start one at your local community center and get sponsors from local businesses
Go visit an elderly in your community: you can learn TONS of information and bless their day
Take the elderly to run errands or to go shopping


Got kids:
Become a 4H or other such club
Teach them the art of giving: take them with you when donating to the homeless. (school age or older and take a trusted man and another woman with you-just in case-most of them are harmless and grateful for something warm but you always want to be safe)
Volunteer at your child's school

Home with family...

I support military wives choices to either remain at their duty station during a deployment or an unaccompanied tour. There are some who prefer to stay behind and there are those who prefer to stay with family for support.  For me I can handle it either way, but during those favorite times of the year I don't want to be "left behind".  So for those times we go home to be with family. 

There is definately an advantage to being a professional mom and a homeschooling family. I can stop and start as I need too. We can pack up and move our lives as we need.