Recently I have come across family members and spouses that are new to military life or have been in for a short while and are not sure they want to continue. I have given some of my simple advice in hopes that it would make them successful in the journey of the average military family.
So here is my advice:
1. The Army or Military is what you make of it. Your success is determined by how well you can adapt to the life style. It is not really as hard as it sound. If you can learn to be flexable that is 70% of adapting. The other 30% is getting involved in the local support groups, taking Army Family Team Building training or the sister service equivalant, and have a good attitude. So many adventures await you if you can do this.
2. If you make it in the service 10 year stay until 20. Just put it in your head and don't waver. So many people that we have met that got out after 8 to 12 years regret getting out. You end up starting all over and you get no retirement for all the hard work. What a waist. My husband will crossover 26 years this Oct. I personally will not let him get out because I like the life style and I like moving around. But it is not what we need to do right now so we are still going strong.
3. Get involved! Get involved! Get involved! Every service has support groups, club and Classes that will help you learn what is going on in the life of you service member. You are not alone and you should not isolate yourself because you have something valuable to share with others. They need you just as much as you need them. You will creat lasting friendship that will last forever.
4. Live on base as much as possible. I know that is hard sometimes. If you are new to the service and you don't have transportation you will feel isolated and you will not benefit from the military family community. It helps when you neighbors can relate to your situations. This is most especially benifical when deployement time comes, and it does come.
5. Lastly, enjoy every minute of you time in the military. So many possibilities await you. I know for those of you how are struggling with military life you are cursing my out about enjoying the military. Trust me it is really not that bad, if you look around and see what is really going on, you will be able to find the blessing in what you are sacrificing. Now stop and smell the roses. They are beautiful.
I hope at least I can help one fellow blogger out there with my simple Army advice. Good luck out their you are amazing for what you do. The cream of the crop with a cherry on top.
on a side note. does any one know why I can't get the spell check to work? I know I have words miss spelled and it won't light up to help me change it. Oh well please excuse my grammer.
My husband has been Navy for almost 8 years now, and I can definately say that I agree with you 100% on those points. I wish every Military member, ESPECIALLY the wives understood these truths because we really do have special places in society with amazing men to be married to.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I would add to this list, that you slightly touched on, is to NEVER ask your husband to leave the profession he loves. It usually ends up badly. If he loves his job and you don't, please take #3 and #4 to heart because it will make all the difference in your happiness!
http://www.thekuchlerfam.blogspot.com/
This is an interesting post for us civilians also. You and your family really sacrifice so much for the rest of us. Thank you! Sounds like you are making the very best of the situation you are in. Good for you!
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