Ask me questions! I have been an Army wife since 1996. We have lived lots of places, on and off post, and we have been through many things. If you are a new military wife, I would love to help you navigate your new world. If you are a civilian who just has questions, ask away as well.
I will start by answering the most common question we get:
What is it like to be an Army wife?
I would tell you that on most days, it is very much like being a civilian wife. Most times, my husband just "goes to work". Of course, my husband is a JAG officer (which means he is a lawyer) so he has a "regular" job. But for most wives, the day-to-day life is the same as anyone else.
The difference arises when 1. spouses get deployed, 2. we have to move, 3. the use of acronyms, or 4. the traditions.
While many people understand the idea of someone going out of town on business, it is hard for most civilians to wrap their minds around the fact that my husband can be sent away for a year at a time...and could be killed. Many civilians don't know what to say or how to help, so some of my friends stayed away. That isn't how to be a good friend to a military wife. Ask her how you can help. Our friends become our families because we rarely live anywhere near family. I have army friends who I would turn to long before I turned to my family...the friends understand my life much better.
We move a lot; we can't help it. And it isn't a choice. We are glad you like us, but we can't stay. We aren't ever going to have a forever home, at least not until after retirement. My kids cannot answer the question, "Where are you from?" because they have no hometown. I get asked a lot if I like that; it isn't about liking it or not liking it. It is just a fact of our existence. No, I don't like having strangers touch my things and knowing that inevitably things are going to get broken. No, I don't like having to start over in a new place at a new job every three years or so. But it is what it is. It is Rick's job. I knew that when I "signed on". LOL. I'm here for the long haul...I'm along for the ride.
Acronyms...oh how the Army loves acronyms. Everything has one. When my husband just goes out of town for a few days on business, that is called TDY. (temporary duty). The "mess hall" where soldiers eat is called the DFAC (dining facility). The money we get for housing is called BAH (basic allowance for housing). This duty station I have learned a new one: USASOC...US Army Special Operations Command. When we move, it is called PCS (permanent change of station). Part of being a good army wife is knowing what the acronyms mean and how to use them. HOOAH.
And finally traditions. We have a lot of them. They bind us together. We have dining outs, military balls, we sing the army song, if you are on post, you will hear reveille/retreat over loud speakers. There are just too many to name. I can talk about that later. But they are important...being in the military itself is a fine tradition and we do not want to forget the ones who went before us.
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