Heather Sweeney

Heather Sweeney is an Associate Editor at Military.com. She started writing about her life as a military spouse in 2010 on her popular blog, Riding the Roller Coaster. She joined Military.com’s SpouseBuzz team in 2012 and has been covering military discounts since 2013. Heather earned her Master’s degree in 2004 and in addition to her work at Military.com, her work has been featured in the NY Times, the Washington Post, Healthline and Huffington Post.

Email: heather.sweeney@monster.com

Latest Articles

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules is parked on the flightline during the Celebrate America fireworks display, July 3, 2018, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Donald Hudson)

2019 Fourth of July Military Discounts

Service members and families are being honored with a variety of military discounts to celebrate the Fourth of July.

20 Military Discounts in Hampton Roads

Whether you live in Hampton Roads or you're just visiting, take advantage of the following 20 military discounts.

Sailors and Marines visit the Los Angeles Zoo during the second annual Los Angeles Fleet Week, Sep. 1, 2017. (U.S. Navy photo/Abby Rader)

Where to Find Military Discounts at Zoos Around the Country

Admission fees at zoos can be costly. So we've put together a list of zoos around the country that offer military discounts.

A father holds his son on the flightine at the 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio, on June 20, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo/Christi Richter)

10 Father's Day Gift Ideas and Military Discounts

Here are some ideas to celebrate Father's Day with great military discounts.

Pacific Park (U.S. Marine Corps photo/Lance Cpl. Norman Eckles)

The Best Amusement Park Military Discounts

Amusement parks are a fun way for families to spend time together and many offer military discounts.

A moving contractor loads a moving truck with a service member's household goods during the permanent change of station peak-season at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. March 7, 2018. (U.S. Transportation Command/Oz Suguitan)

6 Deals to Remember When PCSing

You can find all sorts of deals to help lessen pesky PCS expenses. Here are six deals to look into for your move.

Arlington National Cemetery (Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley, U.S. Coast Guard)

2019 Memorial Day Events

Memorial Day commemorates military personnel who have served and died. The following is a list of 2019 Memorial Day events.

Capts. Laura and Bryan Watson, 4th Force Support Squadron operations officer and 336th Fighter Squadron pilot, kiss during a deployment homecoming, April 11, 2018, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. (U.S. Air Force photo/Shawna L. Keyes)

2019 Military Appreciation Month Discounts

Service members and families are being honored during Military Appreciation Month with a variety of discounts.

Sailors representing several local naval commands participate in the annual Pilgrimage to the Alamo during Fiesta San Antonio, April 22, 2019. (U.S. Navy photo/Burrell Parmer)

10 San Antonio Discounts for Military Families

Whether you're stationed in the San Antonio area or just visiting, there are many family-friendly military discounts availabl...

Master Sgt. Krisopher Whetzel, a Nevada Air National Guardsman, is greeted by his kids upon his return from deployment. (US Army/Paul Macomber)

Top 10 Ways to Prepare Military Kids for a PCS

What can we do to help make the PCS moving adventure less stressful on our kids? Here are some ideas.

1st Lt. Kathryn Bailey, a Black Hawk pilot with the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, goes over a checklist of her household items with her movers. (U.S. Army/Karen A. Iwamoto)

8 Tips to Prepare for Your First PCS Move

Getting ready for your first PCS? Here are eight tips to help you make it a great one.

Top Ten PCS Don’ts

Getting ready for a military move? Watch out for these PCS don'ts.

Air Force and Army coed softball teams render military honors during the All-Star Armed Services Classic Championship game, Washington, D.C., July 13, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rusty Frank)

Military Discounts for Major League Baseball Games

Major League Baseball teams are showing their appreciation for service members with military discounts on game tickets.

Marines, Sailors, and Coast Guardsmen stand in formation following the 2017 Freedom Run at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza in New York, May 28, 2017. Service members participated in the run to honor the lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo/Troy Saunders)

11 New York Military Discounts

If you're planning a trip to New York, make sure you include a stop at the following places that offer military discounts.

Marines and Sailors with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Sailors with America Amphibious Ready Group received an opportunity to talk to family using their mobile phones aboard USS America, Aug. 24, 2017. (U.S. Marine Corps photo/Jacob Pruitt)

Military Discounts on Cellular Phone Plans

Looking for a new cell phone plan? Use the following military discounts to get the best deal to suit your needs.

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Most Popular Military News

Video released by U.S. Central Command shows a Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps patrol boat removing a mine from the side of a tanker attacked near the Strait of Hormuz June 13. (Screenshot via CENTCOM)

Video Shows Iranians Removing Limpet Mine from Tanker, CENTCOM Says

Limpet mines have also been used in other recent attacks attributed to Iran.

Aircrew Aviation Electrician's Mate Striker Brandon Caserta, 21, hurled himself into the spinning tail rotor of an MH-60S helicopter on June 25, 2018. An investigation found that leadership at Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 in Norfolk, Virginia, "contributed" to his decision to take his own life. Photo courtesy of the Caserta family

His Suicide Note Was a Message to the Navy. The Way He Died Was the Exclamation Point

Leadership "contributed" to Brandon Caserta's decision to take his own life, an investigation found.

Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, who commanded U.S. 5th Fleet, is shown aboard the guided-missile destroyer Jason Dunham in Manama, Bahrain, on Oct. 24, 2018. He was found dead in his home in Janabiya, Bahrain, on Dec. 1 of that year. His death has been ruled a suicide. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Clay)

Navy Vice Admiral, Former Head of 5th Fleet, Died by Suicide in Bahrain

Vice Adm. Scott Stearney was found dead in his home Dec. 1, 2018.

Senior Airman Kyle Bowers, left, a C-17 Globemaster III loadmaster, and Capt. Cal Lampela, a C-17 pilot, are instructors assigned to the 14th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration/Joshua R. Maund)

This C-17 Crew Broke Diplomatic Protocol to Save a Life. Now They’re Up for Awards

The decision they made to head to Ireland to save the sailor's life got the Air Force's attention.

Navy Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Shannon M. Kent. (U.S. NAVY)

Lawmaker Wants Navy Ship Named for Senior Chief Killed in Syria

The vessel would be the first named for a female service member killed in action.

Latest Military Videos

Limpet Mine Attack in the Gulf of Oman

Video recorded by a U.S aircraft of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Gashti Class patrol boat and crew.

Timelapse: Ships Depart Naval Base Kiel-Tirpitzhafen for BALTOPS 2019

Ships depart Naval Base Kiel-Tirpitzhafen for exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2019. BALTOPS is the premier annual maritime-focused exercise in.

30 Central Americans Enter US Illegally West of Sasabe, Arizona

30 Central Americans enter the U.S. And surrender to agents west of Sasabe, Az. The group, consisting of family.

Marines Test Robotic Breaching Vehicles

U.S. Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division get familiar with autonomous robotics during the Robotic Complex.

Command Sergeant Major Warns About Inadequate Training

U.S. Forces Command CSM Michael Grinston on inadequate training.

Army News

Soldier's Wife Accused of Fatally Shooting Him with Shotgun

Fort Benning officials say Brandyn Paonessa was an infantryman who had served in the Army since September 2013.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston, command sergeant major of Army Forces Command, right, speaks about the importance of having the correct gear and equipment to accomplish the mission. He met with soldiers of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment on Nov. 19, 2018, in Baghdad, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Phillip McTaggart)

Next SMA Has a Reputation as a Stickler for Standards -- and a Soldier's Soldier

Soldiers will be able to expect fairness from Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston as the Army's top enlisted man.

The Army release a graphic showing its new Expert Soldier Badge. Courtesy of the Army

Army's New Expert Soldier Badge Will Demand Mastery of Warrior Skills

The new skill badge is designed to recognize soldiers who demonstrate a mastery of fitness, marksmanship and critical skills.

Navy News

The U.S. Navy’s future littoral combat ship USS Billings (LCS 15) launches sideways into the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisc., following its christening by ship sponsor Sharla Tester. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin/Released)

Navy Will Launch Combat Ship USS Minneapolis-St. Paul From Midwest Port

The ship will be christened and then literally dropped sideways into the Menominee River.

An oil tanker is on fire in the sea of Oman, Thursday, June 13, 2019. Two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz were reportedly attacked on Thursday, an assault that left one ablaze and adrift as sailors were evacuated from both vessels and the U.S. Navy rushed to assist amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. (AP Photo/ISNA)

Iran Fired Missile at US Drone Prior to Tanker Attacks: Defense Official

Iran and an Iranian proxy group fired surface-to-air missiles at U.S. drones in recent days, the official said.

In this Monday, July 2, 2012 file photo, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboat escorts a passenger ship, unseen, near the spot where an Iranian airliner was shot down by a U.S. warship 24 years ago killing 290 passengers. The U.S. Navy again has accused Iranian patrol boats of harassing an American warship in the Persian Gulf, this time with one Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessel stopping right in front of the USS Firebolt and nearly causing a collision. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

In Gulf, US Contends With Shadowy New Head of Iran's Fast-Boat Navy

The head of Iran's fast-boat navy maintains that the U.S. is all bluff.

Air Force News

Falcons fullback Cole Fagan rushes through the Colorado State University Rams defense gaining a first down, in a Mountain West Conference game at Falcon Stadium Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. The Falcons defeated the Rams 27-19 in their season finale. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joshua Armstrong)

Air Force Football's Leading Rusher Removed From Team

Cole Fagan has been removed from the team pending an ongoing investigation.

Medics tend to a patient Feb. 19, 2007, in the emergency room of the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo Jr.)

Mortar Attack on Iraqi Base Home to US Troops; No Casualties

The attack on Balad air base caused small fires in bushes on the base, which were extinguished immediately.

Iran Fired Missile at US Drone Prior to Tanker Attacks: Defense Official

Iran and an Iranian proxy group fired surface-to-air missiles at U.S. drones in recent days, the official said.

Marine Corps News

He Wanted to Apologize for Cutting Off Another Driver. It Ended in a Deadly Shootout

After a Marine Corps veteran accidentally cut off another car, he was ready to apologize at the next light. Two people died.

FILE - In this Jan. 5, 2011, file photo, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, administers the House oath to Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., as his wife, Margaret, looks on during a mock swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Wife of Marine Vet Rep. Duncan Hunter Admits Guilt in Campaign Finance Scandal

Margaret Hunter formally admitted that she illegally used thousands of dollars in campaign donations for personal expenses.

Permanent personnel Marines from The Basic School conduct a 10-mile hike on the west side of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on July 1, 2013. Lance Cpl. Cuong Le/Marine Corps

Marine Lieutenant Investigated Over Racist Social Media Posts

Yet another Marine is under investigation for posting racist material on social media, the sixth known case since 2018.

Coast Guard News

Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Jose Termini, a crew member at Station Cape Charles, Virginia, topples out of his kayak during a demonstration in the Chesapeake Bay, Oct. 30, 2018. The station crew hosted local media members to explain the dangers of cold water and offer safety tips. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Fireman Aidan Cooney/Released)

Hoax 'Mayday' Distress Caller Vexes Coast Guard in Maryland

The caller is recorded saying they are "going down with the ship" and "mayday, mayday, mayday," along with profanities.

Coast Guard Cutter Legare and crew underway during their patrol of the Caribbean Sea, Dec. 22, 2017. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

4 Jamaican Fishermen Detained on Coast Guard Ships

The Coast Guard said officers interdicting the vessel in 2017 saw the crew toss packages of marijuana into the water.

An all-female watch was executed on the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw during the ship's transit to Chicago, Nov. 27, 2012. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Robert Butler)

Coast Guard Strips Gender-Specific Pronouns from Evals, Promotion Board Packages

The effort is one of many initiatives designed to improve equality and retain women in the service.