Attention, Readers! Make Family Connections Interactive! Share your ques-tions, comments, good news stories, useful resources and articles you have written or found helpful. As space allows, we will include them in future newsletters OR release on social media. Submit to ffsp.fct@navy.mil.

Special Needs Family Members Meet Their Fitness GoalsGetting in shape, eating better and exercising regularly are all goals we set for ourselves. People with special needs often have the same goals. Help your family members meet their health and fitness goals with resources to create an adaptive fitness and nutrition plan. For more information and to get started visit:

http://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-and-relationships/special-needs?content_id=282406.

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Family Connection is a publication of the Fleet and Family Support Program.

The Navy's Fleet and Family Support Program promotes the self-reliance and resilience of Sailors and their families. We provide information that can help you meet the unique challenges of the military lifestyle.

The appearance of external links in this newsletter does not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the U.S. Navy or Department of Defense.

If you have questions or comments, contact the Fleet and Family Support Program, ffsp.fct@navy.mil.

Visit us online at:

TheCenterFleet & Family Support

ContentsDr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy of Love

Web Resource Simplifies Your Child Care Search

Five Steps to a New Financial You in 2017

Ring in a Pet-Safe New Year

Earthquake Awareness

Stalking is a form of domestic violence. As with sexual assault, when stalking occurs, it is often at the hands of a current or previous intimate partner rather than a stranger. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 2010, more than ten percent of women and two percent of men have been stalked by an intimate partner in their lifetimes. Seventy-seven per-cent of those people received unwanted phone calls and/or text messages, 65 percent had unwanted visits at their work, home or school and 37 percent reported being watched or followed by cur-rent or previous partners.

Like crimes of sexual violence, stalking is about power and control. Stalking is considered predatory behavior and may precede sexual assault. Stalking behavior can take many forms including:

• Non-consensual communication (repeat-ed phone calls, emails, text messages).

Stalking Awareness Month • Repeated physical closeness (following

someone or watching from a distance). • Making threats against someone or

against that person’s family or friends. • Any other behavior used to contact,

harass, track or threaten someone.

While stalking is illegal in all 50 states, U.S. territories and the

District of Columbia, laws vary from one area to the next.

More information can be found on the Stalking Resource Center website: http://www.victimsofcrime.

org/our-programs/stalking-resource-center. If you or

someone you know is concerned about stalking, contact the DoD Safe

Helpline at 877-995-5247. When in doubt of your immediate safety, always call 911 or base security first. For more information, please visit: https://www.safehelpline.org/.

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed each year on the third Monday of the January, near the late civil rights leader’s birthday. Every four years, the date falls a few days before the inauguration of the U.S. President. As this year finds the nation divided socially, politically and environmentally, Dr. King’s words, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools” remind us that we must come together as commu-nities, a nation and a world or we will render ourselves extinct.

Dr. King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, described the King Holiday as “…a national ‘teach-in’ on the values of nonviolence, including unconditional love, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation, which are so desperately-needed to unify America. It is a day of intensive education and training

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy of Lovein Martin’s philosophy and methods of nonviolent social change and conflict-reconciliation. The holiday provides a unique opportunity to teach young people to fight evil, not people, and to get in the habit of asking themselves, ‘what is the most loving way I can resolve this conflict?’”

Dr. King stated “The time is always right to do what is right.” This year as we enjoy a day off in his honor, how will we reach out to our fellow human beings – those who look like us and those who do not; those whose beliefs align with ours and those who hold different views? Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day to volunteer in hospitals, shelters and prisons … wherever people need help, wherever love is needed. It is a day to discuss our differences in a respectful manner focusing on our com-mon goal of a bright future for all.

“Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. ... You only need a

heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Web Resource Simplifies Your Child Care SearchWith every transition, deployment and new PCS move, you face questions about who will care for your children and how to find the care you need. Until recently, there were no simple answers, but that is no longer the case. Two years ago, the Department of Defense began the global rollout of Mili-taryChildCare.com, a single online gateway designed to simplify and improve the child care search process for U.S. military families worldwide.

Besides enabling you to conduct customized searches for a wide range of military-operated or military-approved child care options across all the services, the secure website allows you to submit unlimited child care requests at any time and for any loca-tion, and to remain on waitlists for preferred programs after receiving other care offers. MilitaryChildCare.com currently supports full-day and part-day care. Hourly care will be added to the system at a later date.

MilitaryChildCare.com is available at all Navy installations worldwide except Japan and Guam, where it is expected to roll out by June 2017. For more information and to get started, visit MilitaryChildCare.com.

Ring in a Pet-Safe New YearFrom the American Society for the Preven-tion of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

As you gear up for the ball-drop on New Year’s Eve, please be sure to steer pets clear of toxic plants, dangerous decorations and the unhealthy treats. Here are a few tips for a pet-safe New Year:

• Forgo the mistletoe. Mistletoe can cause intestinal upset and cardiovascular problems in cats and dogs. Decorate your doorways with artificial plants made from silk or plastic.

• Forget the confetti. Kitties love anything stringy they can bat and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract.

• Watch the wires. Keep wires and bat-teries out of paws’ reach. A chewed wire can deliver a lethal electrical shock and a punctured battery can cause serious burns to the mouth.

• Leave the leftovers. Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends.

• Careful with cocktails. If your celebra-tion includes adult holiday beverages, be sure to place your unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them.

Keep your celebrations safe for all your friends, including the furry ones. Learn more on the ASPCA website.

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Holiday shoppers are careful during the holiday season to make their lists and check them twice. Budgeters have become more discerning, and savers have become better planners for their holiday spending, prioritiz-ing savings along the way.

According to a September 2016 report, two out of five millennial shoppers got a head start this year and had started buying gifts for the season before summer came to a close.

Successful financial habits do not stop with smart purchasing. With the New Year comes an opportunity to make some improve-ments to your financial health. Where your finances are concerned, do not make “just another” resolution that is forgotten by Valentine’s Day. Take your financial wellness to a whole new level: a New Year, a new financial you.

These five steps will help you to establish your best financial path for 2017, and you can have all the heavy lifting done before the ball drops on New Year’s.

1. Take stock of your finances. Take ac-count of all your income, expenses and existing savings/investment accounts.

2. Design a budget template for the year to come. Think big picture. Plan your spending for 2017 with the handy worksheet from Military Saves and find the method for budgeting that you will use in 2017.

3. Check your credit report. It is your le-gal right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com for more information.

4. Set up bank and credit alerts, and financial reminders. Whether you are at your computer or on your mobile device, you are in an ideal position to receive notifications about upcoming payments, suspicious activities on an ac-count, transactions over a certain dollar amount, low balances and more.

5. Make a commitment to yourself to save. Those who make a commitment to themselves and their family to save usually save more than those who do not. Think of this as your New Year’s resolution.

A new financial you is an achievable goal for 2017. Join those savers who have success-fully opted to reduce holiday spending and prioritize savings throughout the season. To learn more about spending and saving during the holidays visit www.MilitarySaves.org or contact your local Fleet and Family Support Center for a review of your finances and to find out about their financial educa-tion program.

For more information or to find the location nearest you, go to: www.ffsp.navy.mil.

Five Steps to a New Financial You in 2017

U.S. Navy Individual Augmentees

Returning Warrior Workshops (RWW)Returning Warrior Workshop Schedule and IA Family Events — www.ia.navy.mil. Click “Resources” then “IA Services.”

IA Discussion Group Schedule View the Fleet-wide list of classes, sup-port groups and events.

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JSS Dial-in Access 24/7?

1-877-JSS-NOW1(577-6691)

www.jointservicessupport.org

JSSJoint Services Support

Relocation TipWhat happens when your Trans-portation Service Provider (TSP) misses an agreed-upon pack/pick-up, delivery or required delivery date?

Failure to meet agreed upon dates can cause a serious inconvenience to military members and their families and may result in unanticipated out-of-pocket expenses.

Did you know that in some situations, you may be able to file an “inconve-nience claim” and be reimbursed for some expenses?

Bottom line, keep your receipts for reasonable expenses that are directly related to the hardship incurred by the TSP’s delay and file within 30 days.

Get full information, go to Move.mil: http://www.move.mil/documents/Inconvenience_Claim.pdf.

An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the earth, caused by the breaking and shift-ing of subterranean rock as it releases strain accumulated over a long period of time. Earthquakes can strike without warning at any time of day. It is important that you and your family are prepared at all times.

Do you know what actions to take in the event of an earthquake? Practice earthquake drills so you know how to react correctly when the shaking begins.

• Drop to the ground on your hands and knees, which will protect you from falling objects but still give you the opportunity to move if necessary.

• Cover your head and neck by get-ting under sturdy furniture or by using your arms if there is no shelter nearby.

• Hold on until the shaking stops. • Stay away from glass, windows,

outside doors and walls and any-thing that could fall, such as lighting fixtures.

• Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside.

• If outside, move away from build-ings, streetlights and utility wires. Once in the open, drop, cover and hold on.

• If in a vehicle, stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the ve-hicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses and utility wires.

All 50 states and U.S territories are at some risk for earthquakes. Know the potential risk for earthquakes where you live and work.

Research earthquake and aftershock data is at: www.earthquake.usgs.gov/data.

You can also visit www.ready.navy.mil or www.ready.gov/earthquakes for more preparation advice.

Earthquake Awareness

At a Glance

The MLA helps protect Service members and their families from predatory loan practices that pose a threat to personal financial and military readiness.The MLA limits the maximum cost of credit to a Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR) of 36%. Special protections for Service members and families include mandatory disclosures and a prohibition of certain predatory practices.

You are covered if you are on active duty along with your family members enrolled in DEERS. This includes members of the Guard and Reserve activated for 30 days or longer.

How do I know if I am protected by the MLA?

UpdatedMilitary Lending Act (MLA)

COST OF YOUR LOAN CANNOT EXCEED 36% The MAPR represents the cost of a loan and is one way to compare loan options. It includes

interest and fees, the costs of credit insurance / protection premiums, and credit-related ancillaryproducts sold in connection with the loan. The MAPR cannot exceed 36% for covered borrowers.

What credit products are covered? What credit products are not covered?

• Installment loans• Pawn loans, payday• Vehicle title, tax refund• Credit cards (* Compliance date October 3, 2017)

• Home equity lines of credit• Loans to purchase or refinance a home• Auto finance loans secured by the vehicle• Loans secured by the personal property purchased

For More Information Visit:

• Local Staff Judge Advocate (JAG) Office• Installation Financial Readiness Office• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

www.consumerfinance.gov• Military OneSource

www.militaryonesource.mil

• Covers most forms of consumer credit.• Prohibits lenders from requiring you to waive your legal rights.• Requires lenders to provide certain disclosures.

Knowing your financial protections helps secure your financial future.

What’s New?Starting October 3, 2016 the MLA: