The percentage of the US population that serves in the military is tiny. This still shocks me when I see how massive some posts are and how many people are at each one. Even with this small percentage of people, you are going to meet every kind of spouse you could imagine, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
One of the biggest benefits of military life is meeting people from all over the country and the world. You learn about different ideas, cultures and make lifelong friends all over the world. Spouses comes from all walks of life and while it is not at all like the show "Army Wives" you are guaranteed to find these types of spouses on and off post:
1. The 15yr+ Military Spouse
They have PCS'd more times than they can count, attended who knows how many homecomings, and seen almost every kind of situation the military can throw at their family. These spouses are a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to every spouse. They might be heavily involved in the unit or are a bit over it. Whenever you see them it would be wise to ask them all the questions you wanted to ask and gain a perspective from someone who has been through it all.
2. The Brand New Spouse
Their spouse is just out of basic or commissioned and they have no idea what a commissary is or what even one acronym means. They are probably terrified and have no idea where to even start. It would be the kind thing to maybe make them feel welcome, maybe let them know about classes like Army Family Team Building to learn the ins and outs of military life. Reaching out to new spouses would mean the world to them and definitely help them adjust faster.
3. The "I LOVE MY SOLDIER" Spouse
You know more about their spouse's job than your own. They are very excited to be the spouse of a soldier and want the world to know about it especially on social media. They probably have a bumper sticker and you can expect to see them at every event, meeting, brief, etc. The one thing about this spouse is that if you ever plan an event, odds are they will be there and will be super excited.
4. The Phantom Spouse
It is still up in the air whether or not they exist. You might see them maybe once and only for a few seconds. It may be that the military life isn't their thing or possibly a demanding career keeps them busy. This spouse can be an oddly valuable one to know (if you ever meet them) they are usually more career driven or more independent which are fantastic traits to have in military life.
5. The Gossip
The best thing to do is avoid them. These are often the people who spread inaccurate information about deployments or spread people's marital issues around the unit.
6. Your Best Friend
Every post provides the opportunity to make lifelong friends. You will find someone everywhere you go that you will instantly click with. Although you might not end up at the same post more than once, you will keep these friends well after you've PCS'd.
7. "The Army Ruins Everything" Spouse
Also not the best spouse to hang out with. The Army is the reason for all the ills in this person's life, their spouse's life, etc. While the military can often be the reason for missed holidays, nights alone, etc. there are many things in our lives that are not under their control. An example would be how we react to the curveballs instead of just being negative all the time.
8. The Problem Solver
This spouse must've been a Girl Scout at one point because there has yet to be a problem that they are unable to solve. Car dead? They can get it running. Can't figure out how to obtain important documents while your spouse is gone? They know how to find them. No matter what time day or night this person will be there and will not leave until the task is completed. There is a reason why military spouses are so great and these guys and gals are one of those reasons.
The military is eye opening and exciting in many ways. The people you will meet along the way make the experience that much more worthwhile.
No comments
Post a Comment