Military Tips

Advice on military life, real estate, finance, education, and deployments

Deployment

7 Ways to Watch US TV Overseas

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1. Netflix

Netflix has a lot of great content. They ship to APO addresses, although it does take a bit longer to receive the discs in the mail.

Top Shows: Futurama, 30 Rock, How I Met your Mother, The Wonder Years (yeah that’s right!), Breaking Bad, Lost

How I Met Your Mother

2. Hulu

During the first part of my deployment, Hulu was blocked and required a VPN service. But towards the end, they opened it up and I could access it from a military base. So give Hulu a shot! Like Netflix, they have a lot of great content. The interface is very slick.

Top Shows: The Office, Family Guy, Southpark, Tosh.0, Desperate Housewives, Modern Family

The Office

3. Amazon Instant Video

Amazon has really improved their service over the last two years. Viewing shows over Prime used to be very clunky. But I logged into Amazon Prime with my PS3 the other day and was surprised how nice it was. My son and I watched Spongebob for a few hours!

Top Shows for free with Prime: Spongebob Square Pants, The West Wing, Arrested Development, Dora the Explorer, Dinosaur Train

Top Shows for Purchase: Breaking Bad

Spongebob Squarepants

4. iTunes

Of course iTunes doesn’t have anything for free. But they do have the best selection. If you can’t find your favorite TV show for “free” on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime, then iTunes is probably your best bet.

They’re also one of the best options for overseas military, since they don’t block you from downloading while connected to an overseas IP address (that’s my experience).

iTunes

5. HBO Go

HBO Go only works if you subscribe through your cable provider. In addition, they only support certain cable providers, such as Comcast and Cox. If you’re lucky enough to have this working, then congrats! HBO has some of the best shows on television!

Top Shows: The Wire, True Blood, Sopranos

HBO Go

6. Slingbox

If you deploy overseas but still have cable back in the states, then you can hook up a Slingbox and stream all of your channels to your laptop. I would love to hear some feedback from someone who has this working. I haven’t personally used it, but wish I had tried it during my last deployment.

Slingbox

7. Streaming from network TV web sites

NBC, ABC, CBS, TNT

This was how I watched Survivor every week while deployed. Just be careful when browsing to the episode. Sometime they show you who gets kicked off!

Tell us which solutions are working for you in the comments!

Skype: Receive Calls While Deployed

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Skype for MilitarySkype is awesome. Walk through any barracks lucky enough to have internet access while deployed, and you’ll hear that familiar “boo bee boop” ring tone.

Beyond using the free version of Skype, I recommend setting up a Skype phone number. That gives you a US based phone number, that rings when you are logged into Skype. Why is that great?

1. Your loved ones can call you from a cell phone while out and about

Due to the time zone difference, my wife was usually doing something outside the house when we talked on Skype. I didn’t have to wait until she was home, and could talk to her while at a friend’s house.

2. Relatives can call you without using a computer

I gave my Dad the phone number and he called me several times when he knew I was off work.

Do you have any tips on using Skype while deployed or overseas?

Online Backup – Top Three Services Compared

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We have hundreds of pictures stored on our desktop computer. During every PCS move or deployment, I’m scared that the movers will damage the computer or lose it. No amount of money would replace those pictures.

I recently discovered online backup and now have some peace of mind that my files are safe.

Online backup supplements my current backup plan, which involves hand-carrying the hard drives to my next base.

How it Works

Online backup works by uploading your files to a remote server. Software on your computer runs in the background and monitors for new files or changes. You can download your backed up files any time.

Tip: It will take 10-30 days to complete your initial backup. If you’re moving or deploying soon, plan to start your backup ahead of time.

Online Backup Services Reviewed

I researched and tried three different backup solutions: Carbonite, Crashplan, and Backblaze, before deciding to commit to a single service. All three support PC and Mac computers.

Carbonite – $59 One Year SubscriptionCarbonite Review

Carbonite has been around a long time and is considered very reliable. However, their service is expensive when compared to Crashplan and Backblaze.

Pros:

  • You can browse pictures and files through the web; their iPhone app is great at this as well
  • Carbonite puts green icons on folders that are backed up

Cons:

  • Most expensive option
  • External hard drive backups are only supported by moving to a more expensive plan ($99)
  • Video files over 4GB must be manually selected for backup

Crashplan – $49.99 One Year Subscription

Crashplan Review

I found Crashplan to be the most flexible option.  This is the program that I ended up paying for and am very happy with it.

Pros:

  • Backs up external hard drives
  • Backs up all files regardless of size
  • They do not delete old files
  • Option to start backup by sending external hard drive
Cons:
  • Some users say it slows down your computer. I haven’t noticed this personally.
  • Interface is a little confusing

Backblaze –  $50 per yearBackblaze Review

I liked Backblaze a lot and would have chose them over Crashplan and Carbonite if it weren’t for one small issue.

We have an iMac with an external hard drive connected. That hard drive is also configured as a “time machine” backup for the iMac. Backblaze does not back up any files on an external hard drive that is configured for time machine. I did not want to redo this drive and split off the time machine backup. So I went with Crashplan instead since they support time machine drives.

Pros:

  • Slick interface; very easy to use
  • Fastest backup software
  • Ability to locate your computer if stolen or lost
Cons:
  • Does not support external hard drives configured for time machine

Summary

My top recommendation for online backup is Backblaze, followed very closely by Crashplan, then Carbonite. I went with Crashplan due to the minor issue discussed. But if you do not have the same issue I would recommend Backblaze over the other options.

The Magic Coffee Maker

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I am absolutely loving my Keurig single-cup coffee maker. I used to walk to the chow hall to get some coffee before work, now I quickly make a cup in my room. Why do I like this contraption so much?

Keurig B30 Coffee Maker
Keurig on my nightstand

First, it’s the cleanest way to make coffee, given that there’s no pot to wash out or filter to deal with after the coffee’s made. You simply place a coffee pod in the brewer to make one cup, then throw it away when you’re done.

Second, you can order variety packs, choosing a different type of coffee every day. They even have iced coffee and various teas available.

Third, it’s convenient, brewing one cup of coffee in about 3 minutes. It brews fairly quietly which keeps from waking my neighbors.

Finally, the brewer is small and takes up a small amount of space in my cramped dorm room.  I highly recommend this coffee maker for the office, an extended TDY, or deployment.  My favorite types of coffee are Caribou Coffee Daybreak blend and Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket blend.

10 Steps to Solve a Sleeping Problem

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The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.  ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

sleep

Life on little sleep is rough. I took sleep for granted until my second deployment. I worked the graveyard shift and had to train my body to sleep during the day. Many nights I would lay in bed for hours before finally falling asleep. On the worst nights I would lie in bed awake all night long, only to get up and go to work completely fatigued.

I solved my sleep problem mostly by controlling my environment and changing my habits. I took prescribed medicine for a short time as well, but looking back it was only a temporary band aid. Here is my 10-step program for getting a good night’s sleep:

1. Keep the light out

Cover your window with foil, put a blanket on the cracks of the door; do what’s necessary to make your bedroom completely dark.

2. Use a fan to blur out noise

A fan creates a constant hum that can help drown out common noises that would normally wake you up.

3. Tell your neighbor to shut the @#$ up

My neighbor in the dorm would come home every day and slam his door. He got phone calls right in the the middle of my sleep. I confronted him every time, and finally on the 4th talk he stopped doing it. Don’t be shy and curse under your breath. Take action or they’ll never stop. If you’re in a house by yourself, turn off the ringer on the phone and put a note on the door to not disturb you.

4. Avoid caffeine 8 hours before bedtime

Try to stop drinking coffee and soda 8 hours before you go to bed. Caffeine stays in your system for a long time and should not be underestimated.

5. Exercise

Running, swimming, and other activity relieves stress and make you tired. However, be careful to not work out too close to your bedtime. Exercise gets you pumped for the first 2-3 hours after and may keep you from sleeping.

6. Get off the computer

The light from a computer screen or TV stimulates your body. Try reading a book for 30-60 minutes before bed instead.

7. Be consistent

Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. In addition, do not try to go to sleep immediately after you get home. Your body needs some time to adjust and relax.  Stick to your schedule as much as possible on the weekends.

8. Count back from 100

All of the steps before this set the conditions for sleep. Now let’s get to it and get some sleep!  Lie down and count back slowly from 100. In between each count, push out all of your thoughts. You want your mind to completely relax. Do not think about your problem at work or an errand you need to do tomorrow. Try to breathe deep, count, and relax. Under the right conditions you should fall asleep within 15 minutes.

9. Get out of bed if you don’t fall asleep in 30 minutes

If you stay in bed longer than 30 minutes you will start to toss and turn. You will probably stress about not getting sleep, which will in turn make it harder to fall asleep. Rather than fight yourself, get up and do something for 20 minutes. Read a book or magazine or play guitar (that’s what I do). After about 20-30 minutes, try to fall asleep again by counting down.

10. Visit a doctor

This is the last step because you should try natural remedies before going to the doctor. Your doctor will probably give you a drug like Ambien.  A drug like this helps get your circadian rhythm in order by forcing you to sleep at a certain time.

I won’t lie – Ambien kicks ass.

If you go to the doctor they will probably give you some, but it won’t last forever. Drugs help you quickly shift to a new sleep schedule, but should only be relied upon for about a week. If your doctor is good, they’ll probably ask several questions about your sleep environment and routines. Their suggestions in this area will be more helpful in the long run than the drugs.

Additional Resources

Harvard – Healthy Sleep:  12 Steps to Improve your Sleep

May Clinic: 10 Steps to Better Sleep