Life as a military spouse is especially tough these days, and information is not easy to find. Today's military has changed dramatically in just the last four years. For example, the introduction of Individual Augmentation (taking a service member from his or her current job and sending him or her to Iraq or Afghanistan for a year, usually with very little notice) has dramatically changed the level of preparedness expected of families. Shore duty no longer means a spouse will not end up deploying-something spouses need to be prepared for. The author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Life as a Military Spouseis a military spouse herself, and in her book readers will find- How to enrol your child in the Child Development Homes program. What you need to do before a permanent change of station (PCS) move. How to prepare for deployment andthe return of a spouse. Little-known but important information such as the fact that a spouse can use his or her spouse's GI bill to further his or her education if they are stationed overseas. Easy ways to calculate benefits, allowances, and special pays.