25 Reasons To Not Go Home For A Deployment

One of the most popular topics that come up in military spouse circles is if you should go home for a deployment or stay where you are. There are a lot of different opinions on this issue from those who go home even before their spouse leaves to others who wouldn’t even go home to visit.

You need to figure out if going home for a deployment is right for you or if staying where you are is the better choice. In case you are trying to decide, here are 25 reasons to not go home for a deployment:

• Because you love your home

When you love your own home, why would you want to leave it for an extended period of time?

• Because you want to be around other military spouses

Going through a deployment with other military spouses can be a very good thing. You guys can support each other.

• Because your kids are in school

When you kids start school, it is a lot harder to pull them out to move somewhere new. You want them to stay put.

• Because your kids are involved in the community

Whether they like to play sports or are involved in local art groups, your kids might be really involved in your local community. Moving them when you don’t have to can be a big loss.

• Because you would lose your house

In a lot of cases, if you move home for the deployment, you could lose your home. It’s possible that you can easily get a new home when you get back but you will still have to worry about moving your stuff out when you leave.

• Because you don’t have a good place to stay back at home

If you don’t have a good place to stay back home, going back doesn’t make sense.

• Because home is now where you live, not where your family is

When I say home, you might think where you live now, not where your family is.

• Because you want to be involved in the FRG

The FRG can be a lifesaver during a deployment. You might be someone who wants to be involved in that. Leaving would make doing so a lot harder.

• Because you like where you are stationed

If you like where you are stationed, you won’t want to leave.

• Because you want to explore where you live now

During the deployment is the perfect time to explore where you live. Then you can bring your spouse to your favorite places after they get back.

• Because your best friends live at your duty station

If you have best friends at your duty station, leaving them would make things harder, not easier.

• Because your spouse would like you to stay

In some cases, your spouse might prefer you stay put. This is something to discuss and talk about so you can come up with the right decision for your family.

• Because you want to be there in case they come home early

Sometimes deployments do get cut short and in that case, it can be hard to move back to your duty station in enough time. Staying put can avoid that.

• Because you have a job

If you have a job, you will want to stay where you are and work on your career.

• Because you are in school

School is important too. And moving home can complicate your educational schedule.

• Because you have 100 house projects you want to work on when they are gone

Working on projects is one way to stay busy during a deployment. If you have projects you want to work on, stay in your own home and get them done.

• Because you have pets

Uprooting pets isn’t the easiest thing in the world, and then you have to find a place where all of your can live.

• Because you don’t get along with your family

Why would you want to move in with people you really don’t get along with?

• Because you know you won’t get any support back home

If you don’t have a support system, the deployment is going to be a lot more difficult. You need that deployment support.

• Because you have a good babysitter where you are now

Good babysitters are amazing. If you have one in your area, hang on to them and never let them go.

• Because you feel safe where you are now

Feeling safe during a deployment is important.

• Because you like living in a military community

Being in the military community can be what you need during a deployment. There is so much to gain from being in one.

• Because you feel like you would go back a few years staying with your family for an extended period of time

Sometimes going back home makes you feel 17 again. If this is the case, going home for a deployment won’t be ideal.

• Because you can always visit and don’t see the need to move

You can always visit home, maybe for a weekend or even a few weeks. You don’t have to completely move in to experience the benefits of spending some time with your family.

• Because you simply don’t have to desire to spend the deployment anywhere but the home you and your spouse have created

At the end of the day, there are people that want to go home and others who don’t. Use this list as well as my list of 25 reasons to go home for a deployment to figure out what will work for you and your family.

What have you done during your deployments?