The Military Lifestyle Podcast
If you are in the Canadian Armed Forces or a family member connected to the military, the lifestyle can be a challenge. CFB Esquimalt’s Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) explores deployments, postings, transitions and more through interviews with MFRC staff, experts in the community, military members and military-connected family members. There should be no concern about rank or trade, or finding the time to get through the doors at the MFRC. The goal is to meet you where you live and to help you prepare and get a plan in place so that you can master the military lifestyle.
Quick Links
- Trailer
- Episode 1: Preparing Couples for Deployment
- Episode 2: Navigating Systems
- Episode 3: The Transition Out of the Military
- Episode 4: Parenting from Afar
- Episode 5: Military Family Financial Planning
- Episode 6: Helping Children with Stress
- Episode 7: Looking for Work in a New Community
- Episode 8: Preparing Single Military Members for Deployment
- Episode 9: The Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman
- Episodes 10: Kim Mills from She is Fierce
- Episode 11: Looking for Child Care in Greater Victoria
- Episode 12: Diversity and the Canadian Military (Part 1)
- Episode 13: Diversity and the Canadian Military (Part 2)
- Episode 14: Promoting Health with Kids
Trailer
The first season of “The Military Lifestyle” launches on October 9, 2019 and consists of 14 episodes.
Episode 1: Preparing Couples for Deployment
Looks at the challenges of a military deployment, a few tools for managing it, coping strategies, goal setting, common errors and the importance of good communication. Special guest: MFRC Deployment Coordinator Sandra Pinard.
Episode 2: Navigating Systems
Looks at the big hurdles that military families face when it comes to navigating the school and medical systems, how to plan and self-advocate and how to tackle this daunting challenge. Special guest: Colleen Cahoon.
Episode 3: The Transition Out of the Military
The transition from being in the military to the civilian world represents a huge cultural shift. Let’s explore why it is such a big adjustment, the different kinds of transition, loss of identity, what the challenges are, and what helps during the process. Special guests: military anthropologist Dr. Anne Irwin and MFRC social worker Pauline Sibbald.
Episode 4: Parenting from Afar
If you have kids and work takes you away for lengthy periods of time, you are parenting from afar. Let’s explore some things you can do before, during and after the experience to make things better. Special guest: Tracy Beck, MFRC Deployment Workshop Facilitator.
Episode 5: Military Family Financial Planning
Military life is different and so are your finances. There are deployments, postings, you might not have family close by and you might have businesses willing to give you a “great” deal. Let’s examine financial planning from a military perspective. Special guest: Suzie Fines, SISIP Financial Services.
Episode 6: Helping Children with Stress
Stress can impact anyone, including kids of all ages, but it can be managed and you can help your child through the process. Let’s talk about what stress is for a military-connected child, what it might look like and a few strategies to deal with it. Special guest: Dr. Linda Scott.
Episode 7: Looking for Work in a New Community
Military families have to recreate community with every posting. For some military spouses or partners that can mean looking for work in a new place and rebuilding from scratch. So, let’s break down how military families can address resumes, references, informational interviews plus a few skills that you can highlight. Special guest: Kim Dillon, WorkLink.
Episode 8: Preparing Single Military Members for Deployment
If you’re a single military member and getting ready to deploy, you might be excited without a care in the world. But there are things for you to think about before you leave. So if you’re single, single-ish, a parent of a single military member, or in a position of influence over one, let’s dig into everything you need to take care of before a deployment. Special guest: Sandra Pinard, MFRC Deployment Coordinator.
Episode 9: The Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman
The military is a complex system. There are a lot of policies that govern the way it operates and that system can be complex for even the most experienced person. If you ever feel like the system’s failed you, that you’ve got a complaint and think you’ve been treated unfairly, there’s a formal way to move forward. Special guest: Greg Lick, CAF Ombudsman.
Episodes 10: Kim Mills from She is Fierce
Check back on Wednesday January 29 for an interview with writer Kim Mills from She is Fierce.
Episode 11: Looking for Child Care in Greater Victoria
Check back on Wednesday February 5 for an interview with staff at the Child Care Resource and Referral.
Episode 12: Diversity and the Canadian Military (Part 1)
Check back on Wednesday February 12 for an interview with Dr. Lisa Gunderson.
Episode 13: Diversity and the Canadian Military (Part 2)
Check back on Wednesday February 19 for the second part of our discussion with Dr. Lisa Gunderson.
Episode 14: Promoting Health with Kids
Check back on Wednesday February 26 for the last episode of season one, an interview with Health Promotion Manager Maryse Neilson.
