Military Mamas

My husbandwas in the Army Reserves. I didn't like the on again off again thing. I found it annoying. I also dodn't like the way they say training is one weekend a month and two weeks a year. That was a lie, it was alway more. But really, even though he won't admit it, I think my husband enjoyed it. He made more money ina weekend of training then he did in a week, sometimes two, and his full time job. Depending on how long the training is, they also get some great benefits. They have awesome life insurance, including the cost of the insurance. And I think it is a great learning experience. I think i just had a hard time with it because I didn't grow up that way. My dad was always there, my husband not so much. He was sent to Germany once, Iraq once,and other places around the country. He has missed alot, including the first year and a half of our daughters life. But in the end, I think it depeds on the person and the family. My brother has been ion the Navy and the Guard. My husband and him have both been impacted in different ways. My brother has been to the middle east 3 times and has traveled the world with the Navy. It has all made him a better person. It affects my husband differently. Everytime he came home from a military thing he was little meaner and a little less like himself. There is always the possibility of deployment, especially to the middle east. Depending on your husbands personality type, and yours, it mayor may not be beneficial. You will both need o be strong, know where you are going and why, not loose sight of who you are, not allow your home to become the military and be certain that your famiy can handle his absence for long and short periods of time. My husband was gone for a year and a half after my daughter was born. When a family member becomes part of the military, the whole family does. Make sure you are all prpared for anything that lifestyle throws your way. You might not like all the aspects of it but there will be good points too. Sometimes those good points are simple. (EX: My husband is a massive pack rat, while he was in Iraq I was able to clean house. He was gone so long he didn't even realize things were missing, because he forgot about them. That was one of the good points of his absence. Dumb, simple, but at least I found something.) It isn't all bad.

My dad was in the Army reserves the entire time I was growing up. He retired about ten years ago. He would go one weekend a month to San Francisco and attend reserve stuff, and when I was a senior in high school, he got called to serve in Desert Storm. I know he liked the benefits he got while in the Army reserves.

I have two active duty military kids. Both have had a tour in Iraq. My daughter just married so now I have three to pray and worry about coming back alive.
C. B

My dad is retired Navy. He was gone a lot and we moved ALL the time for his job. But it was good. Military life has it's benefits and the Reserves are a good way to make extra money. Just know that no matter what the recruiter promises, unless you get it IN WRITING it could all change (and even if it is in writing you might have to fight really hard to make it stick if it's outside the norm). And, given the state of the world today, joining the reserves is almost a guarantee that you'll spend some time on active duty. Make sure you really weigh the benefits and costs to your family. :)

I am a military mom of two, one daughter in the Army she is a Sergeant and one son in the Airforce he is a Senior Airman, both have great jobs. From what I have heard from them, the hardest part is getting leave and keeping track of it so they can come home when they want. They have both been deployed to different parts of the world which was great for my son he loves it,and is single, but my daughter is due in Nov. and realizes she will have to leave her baby behind if it happens again not to mention her husband. So far the military has been real good to my children, they have made so many friends and they really have a another family that has there back and yes sometimes I feel like I'm in it to!! You really have to take in different considerations when you write on the dotted line and expect anything and everything, some people do it for the money for college and don't realize what comes with it. With the state the world is in now you never know, so think long and hard and do your research. Best of luck!