I'll start us off here

**CarrotCake** · 05-13-2002, 07:15 PM

I guess I will get the ball rolling here.

I am an Army wife. DH has been active duty for 15 years. We are currently assigned to Fort Hood, TX. Plan on being here a couple more years, and then heading back to Ft. Leavenworth for retirement. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!

I'm curious what people have found to be the greatest benefit and trouble staying frual in the military.

I guess I'd have to say the greatest benefit is probably the free medical care. I know many people have complaints about the system, but I have been lucky myself and you just can't beat free prescriptions.
The commisary would have to run a close second.

The most trouble I find is living in town while waiting for housing. I don't think BAQ has ever covered all our expenses.

PennyPinchinPam · 05-14-2002, 05:38 PM

I'm an Air Force Wife. We are currently stationed in N California. We've been in for 15 years.The military has been nothing but good to us. The young kids coming in nowadays think it's a 9-5 kind of job and it's not. We've received great medical care and both of our children were born in military hospitals. My son was born abroad in Okinawa at the Camp Lester Naval Hospital and my daughter was born here in CA. The hardest part of being military is the seperation from my dh. We've been together since I was 14 and he was 17. The seperation is always rough on us. The military definitely isn't for everyone.

We hope to stay in 26 years and retire. With things the way they are in the world today I worry about when and where my dh will be called upon to serve in the Mid-East. I say prayers daily for those who lost their lives (military and non-military) and those currently serving in the Mid-East. The commissary is definitely a plus although our BX (Base Exchange) can be more expensive than Wal-Mart. I stay away from the BX unless I can get it cheaper there. In some situations Wal-Mart is less expensive even with having to pay tax on it. I also think the pay could be better. Well I can dream can't I? LOL!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

**peterson** · 05-24-2002, 01:54 AM

Hi
My name is Chris and I am a N.G. Army wife. We live outside of PGH, PA. My husband is being deployed over seas. The families have been asked not to tell were the soldiers are going. I am upset about him going over but I know he will come back to me. You see they have not been called up for about 30 years to go over seas. We a briefing the other day and I sat their and watched wife’s crying and some of them were fighting with their husbands about this deployment. I don't think am I being cold but I wanted to say suck it up. You married a soldier. You have to be strong for husband and not upset him before he has to leave; he has a job to do. Don't get me wrong I feel for the families I am one of them but why would you want to upset your husband like that. I could hear wife's telling their husbands you are not signing back up when your time is up. They were saying this stuff in front of high-ranking army personal that were at the briefing. The families were told about the deployment about two months ago its not like hey in two weeks we are gone. We have a family support group and we can't get the wife's to come to the meetings. I am part of the family support group and you learn so much by going to these meeting. I keep thinking maybe that's why I am not so upset about this deployment. My husbands unit has a web page and they just sat up a mess. broad on the web page for the families. Some of the wife's mess. were so bad that before a post can be posted anymore the webmaster has to read it before it is aloud on the mess. broad. If they keep this up we will not have a mess. broad. Does anyone have any ideas about how to help these wives's or ideas about how to get the wife's to come to the family support meetings? I would love to hear them.
I love being a N.G. Army wife. I am very proud of my husband and I stand behind him. We have talked about him going full time again. I like the idea.

N.G.Armywife

**audpodge** · 05-24-2002, 10:54 AM

Peterson, girl, I am right there with you! My husband has been active duty Army for ten years and we have been married seven. We have two children and one on the way. I am so damned sick and tired of hearing about how hard it is when the guys are away. I know it's hard and I know they miss their husbands, so do I, but it is his job. My 1st ds was 4 mo old when Robert left for Bosnia and he didn't see him again until he was 14 mo old. Then, six months later, he left for Macadonia for 9 mo. Six months after that he was part of the first wave of ground troops into Kosovo and didn't meet our 2nd ds until he was four months old. Durning all of his downtime he was on 4, 6, and 8 wk training missions and ther were some months that he was lucky to be home a full week. Now I am having another baby, due on July 22 and he leaves for Korea on August 1 for 14 mo. (I think the Army plans this.LOL) It has not been easy. I was 18 when we were married and had a lot of growing up to do, I did most of it without him and that was hard. We have gone through rough periods, counsling and even one trial separation, but we always pull through stronger than before. This is not a life everyone can lead but is you choose to get involved with a service memeber you have to be able to look past the handsome uniforms and free medical benifits and take a long look at what is really coming to you. I am so proud of what Robert does. It is hard on my kids and continues to get harder as they get older. I tell them that there are some people in this world who are not strong enough to fight for themselves and Daddy's job is to fight for them. As far as my oldest goes, Spiderman has nothing on his Dad. It doesn't matter that maybe I don't agree with why he is going, all that matters is is that he IS going and he cannot be concerned with what I am doing here. If that is all he is thinking about chances are that he or one of his soliders will end up hurt or dead. As for those people who don't think we should be fighting someone elses wars, forget it. My husband has watched children die because they were born on the wrong side of some border, and in those childrens faces he sees our kids. How embarrasing it must be for soliders to be humilated in front of NCO's and Officers by their wives. If someone in the Chain of Command knows a solider's wife is not supportive, it could have an affect on future promotions and assignments. I know I am ranting like an idiot, but most women I know don't understand this. As for your FSG, good luck. I have discovered that they vary by assignment. Some women just can't handle it. As for me I love it. My children have a wonderful relationship with their Dd despite all of the time he is gone. He is active in every part of thier lives and this includes the not fun parts. In this day and age, we cannot afford to NOT support our spouses. It's nice to know that someone else out there wants to tell these women to deal with it.

P.S. I am really not a lunatic, I just play one on the computer ;0)

**lucy979** · 06-09-2002, 01:14 PM

We have been in the military for a little over four years. We are stationed in Germany right now. It is really hard being here when your husband gets deployed. I think it is really beautiful though. I have always had trouble with wives not coming to the family support groups. They always think all we do is sit around and talk about the other wives. It is hard to convince them otherwise. Some wives have other friends and don't really need the support group. I always enjoyed them though. We just came from Ft. Sill Oklahoma. What a change in the weather! I am glad I found this group. Hope to talk to you all some more later!

Laci

**simplemom** · 06-09-2002, 05:14 PM

Wow!...I am so impressed at the determination you ladies have.

My dh is not in the army, but leaves occasionally a week or two to go repair airplanes and I get soooo discouraged. I become so tired, depressed and tired. I know each family is different, but I just can`t help to think that you are very courageous women with courageous husbands.

I feel bad, because I don`t seem to have the the same courage as you. Although I always feel very fine when he leaves. It`s the last few days, I find hard. Maybe it`s because I know he`s coming back soon.

I hope this board does get more active for you ladies. It`s so important to share with others, especially that you all have a very special husband to be proud of.

**kisskiss876** · 07-15-2006, 06:04 PM

My name is Amanda, and my DB is AD Army going on career. He's been in 2 years, and is currently deployed to Afghanistan. Id really like to see this section get a lot more active

**dwallyfam** · 07-15-2006, 08:49 PM

I would just like to say to all of you and your husbands (future husbands) thank you. Without them we wouldn't have the wonderful country (sometimes) that we have today. I may not agree with why we are fighting, but I am glad that we have people that protect us and the American flag.

Kellie

**JustJoy** · 07-16-2006, 09:35 AM

I'm a proud Navy mom

My son was in Iraq for 7 months last yr and those were the longest 7 months of my life. He's back in the states now and stationed in VA.

**fernykins** · 07-16-2006, 12:31 PM

My Ex was in the Air Force. # of my children were active duty Army. #1 son spent 1 year in Korea, 18 months in Germany, 1 year in Iraq. He is out now because while in Iraq his back went out. #2 son.went to Korea. He's out because he could not handle being away from his sons.Youngest son has downs. He has 100% custody of his sons. #1 daughter and husband went to kuwait. My youngest son will be going active duty Marines went he finishes at the Naval Acadamy. I was and still am very proud of all my children. I worry a lot but thats a normal thing
God Bless all our young men and women who are in the armed forces
Fern

**Jonell** · 07-16-2006, 12:51 PM

I am an army wife. and DH is never home! he is AGR and i am convinced that if he was straight up AD he would be home more often. we have been together got 3 yrs and actually been with each other 5 months or 6 months. he is currently in the middle east right now. and is due home any where between october and february. and in feburary he leaves again on another mission. so i completely understand where you ladies are comming form. and to the gal whos DH is deploying wiht the unit that hasnt been deployed on 30 yrs...this will be ok, you will make it and real courious as to how that was pulled off if you know what i mean.

**cheappearls** · 07-16-2006, 02:53 PM

My name is Tammi. Army wife. DH has been Army for a little over a year and 1/2. He's been deployed for the last 9 1/2 months. He's a .50 cal gunner so he's on convoys a lot through Iraq. He should be home early Oct.

We have 2 boys. Hunter is 2 and Tristin is 5 months. They keep me pretty busy.

hmm.. That's all folks.