 Hi, and welcome to Sitrep, Army News that affects you. With the new year behind us, it's time again to plan for tax season. There's a number of unique credits and deductions available specifically to service members. Service members receive lots of different types of pay, and it's important to identify what can be excluded from your gross income. Now, if you're a member of the Armed Forces serving in a designated combat zone, then you can exclude pay from your income in the month in which you either served in the zone or were hospitalized as a result of wounds, disease, or injury obtained while serving in that zone. If you're a member of the Armed Forces on Active Duty and UPCS, you're entitled to a deduction for reasonable unreimbursed moving expenses related to the travel or cost of moving your household goods. Now as far as educational expenses, you can deduct the cost of work-related education as long as it meets one of two qualifying criteria. One, it's required by your employer to maintain your salary, status, or job. Or two, it maintains or improves skills needed in your present work. In both instances, this education can't be used to simply meet minimum job requirements or to find a new trade or business. And remember, with the exception of those serving in combat zones or stationed outside the U.S., most military personnel in their families must file taxes by the traditional April 15 deadline. All information in this piece is based on information supplied by the IRS. For further clarification or additional deductions, as well as information on available tax credits, you can refer to the Armed Forces tax guide at www.irs.gov. And if you have questions or topic ideas for Sitrep, let us know on Facebook and Twitter. Sergeant Martin, signing off.