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Julie

Jack Daniel’s and the ASYMCA’s Operation Ride Home Initiative

November 15, 2023 by Julie Leave a Comment

The Jack Daniel Distillery and the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) have begun the 13th year of their “Operation Ride Home” (ORH) campaign. This initiative helps over 1,000 junior-enlisted service members and their families travel home during the holiday season. Since its start in 2011, nearly 13,000 people have benefited from this program.

Jack Daniel’s, consistent in its support, has donated $100,000 this year. They encourage people to contribute to the cause by visiting operationridehome.com.

The Tennessee Whiskey distillery, along with its business partners and the public, has raised almost $3 million. This funding assists active-duty, junior-enlisted military personnel, and their families in traveling from their duty stations to homes across the country. But for every service member and family helped, there are ten who are waiting, according to ASYMCA officials.

ASYMCA works with military commands to identify and prioritize junior-enlisted service members and families facing financial need. The program supports service men and women from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, enabling them to travel to all 50 states through various means, including airline tickets and pre-paid debit cards.

“Operation Ride Home has provided life-changing experiences for these heroes and their families, and it is a true honor and privilege for all of us at Jack Daniel’s to help get them home,” said Chris Fletcher, Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller. “For so many of our junior-enlisted, the cost of travel is out of reach for them, but this assistance helps ensure they’ll be where they need to be during the holidays – at home with family, friends and the ones they love.”

“For the last 13 years, the Armed Services YMCA and Jack Daniel’s has made home for the holidays a reality for junior-enlisted service members and their families,” said ASYMCA CEO Bill French, VADM, USN (Ret.) “This gift means so much to these deserving military families, and it would not be possible without the generosity of Jack Daniel’s.”

Jack Daniel’s was officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and is based in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The Jack Daniel Distillery is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old
No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Double Mellowed Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails. Today, Jack Daniel’s is a true global icon found in more than 170 countries around the world and is the most valuable spirits brand in the world as recognized by Interbrand.

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) is the oldest military support organization in the United States, founded in 1861. The ASYMCA’s mission enhances the lives of active-duty junior enlisted military members and their families in spirit, mind and body through programs relevant to the unique challenges of military life. In 2022, the ASYMCA engaged nearly 200,000 individuals and delivered more than 550,000 points of service through its 12 Branches and 24 Affiliate Partners, serving 89 military installations across the U.S. To learn more about how the ASYMCA is “Strengthening Our Military Family(R)” visit www.asymca.org.

And make sure to always drink responsibly!

Filed Under: Military Life Tagged With: Jack Daniel's

The Truth About Military Life, In 30 Military Life Memes

November 14, 2023 by Julie

The Truth About Military Life, In 30 Military Life Memes

Military life is truly an adventure! Over the years I have found myself in different situations, going through different challenges and meeting some of the most amazing people. Here are 30 memes that talk about the truth of military life. Enjoy these military life memes!

Military Life Memes

Yes! Sometimes we have to take those deployment days one day at a time!

 

Military Life Memes

Summer block leave is the best!

 

Military Life Memes

Such is military life!

 

Military Life Memes

The reality is, summer is always hard to plan.

 

Military Life Memes

Yes, I thought Prom was it, but now there is the military ball!

 

Military Life Memes

Because they are always worth waking up for…

 

Military Life Memes

So true. They don’t care. The homecoming dresses are for us.

 

Military Life Memes

I am pretty sure I still have stickers from 2006.

 

Military Life Memes

Yep. Don’t shop on payday, just don’t.

 
Military Life Memes

Yep! Just keep working towards that finish line.

 

Military Life Memes

For reals! At least we don’t have to share every night!

 

Military Life Memes

Yes, it is totally okay to cry sometimes. Totally.

 

Military Life Memes

Yep! Not all of us get to live near the beach 🙂

 

Military Life Memes

We all want to make a deployment a little easier!

 

Military Life Memes

You got this! PCS like a boss!

 

Military Life Memes

Yep! All the cereal, all the time.

 

Military Life Memes

Seriously! You really don’t know that far ahead of time.

 

Military Life Memes

Yep! Sounds about right!

 

Military Life Memes

So true. That’s hard, no matter what age your children are.

 

Military Life Memes

So true! We are always learning about military life!

 

Military Life Memes

Yes! That’s what military life is all about!

 

Military Life Memes

No, there really isn’t.

 

Military Life Memes

Seriously! If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

 

Military Life Memes

Sounds good to me! All of these things will help through those deployment days.

 

Military Life Memes

So true, that is the best way to make friends at your new duty station.

 

Military Life Memes

So true, especially in this military life!

 

Military Life Memes

Going through the stages, one at a time.

 

Military Life Memes

That is the best! You never know when you will see your military friends again and a new duty station.

 

Military Life Memes

Yes, remember, deployments don’t last forever.

 

Military Life Memes

Yes, yes we do need those military friendships.

Here are more military life meme posts to enjoy:

13 Memes About Military Spouse Friendship

22 Memes All About Military Marriage

14 Memes for Your Milspouse Life

12 Memes About Military Kids

Filed Under: Military Life Tagged With: military life, military life memes, military spouse, Military spouse memes

The Veteran’s Spouse

November 10, 2023 by Julie 6 Comments

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”

—Elmer Davis

Veterans Day is always so emotional for me. Not just because of who I am married to but also because of all the other Veterans and their spouses who have come before us. All the men and women who have served and those who stood beside them. Veterans Day is a day to remember them and to thank those that are still with us.

The Veteran’s spouse is not a new role. As long as there have been people who are willing to sign up to join the Military, there have always been spouses who have stood beside them. They stood by as their husbands or wives went off to war.

Whether that meant fighting against another American in the Civil War, going to Europe during the World Wars, staying behind as they headed to Korea or Vietnam, or the “modern” Veteran’s spouse who watched their spouse join up during a time of war and knowing they would most likely be headed over to Iraq and Afghanistan fighting a war that might never really end.

Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.”

– Abraham Lincoln

We are strong, we have to be. We have to be there for our spouses. Stand behind them and be their rock. Through peacetime and wartime. Through a PCS or goodbye for a two-week training. Some have had to say goodbye and were not able to say hello again. Their spouse did not return. Some have stood by when they did return but as a different person.

Some have had to walk away from their marriage, some have stayed.

Some have stood by for 20+ years of Active duty life, others only needed to fill that role for a few years before their spouse moved on to a different career.

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the organizer, who gave us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.”

–Charles M. Province

Military Spouses are strong not because we are made of something else. We are strong because we have to be. Because history wanted us to fill this role and we decided we could do it.

Being a Veteran’s spouse can mean a lot of different things. It always means that there is a story behind your spouse’s career and time in the Military. We don’t know all of it. We only know what they tell us but we do know there is so much more they could never share.

As a Veteran’s spouse, I belong to a community of people who are doing what I have done. Whether it was in the 1940s and all they got from their soldier was a letter in the mail to those who can video chat every day.

We might all have had different types of experiences but one thing is clear, we are the spouses of those who have signed up to serve their country. We are the ones left behind and the ones they come home to. We are a part of history and we will always be there to help those who come after us.

“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.”

– Jeff Miller

 

Filed Under: Military Life Tagged With: military spouse, military wife, Milspouse

22 Signs That You Have Been Stationed in Germany During Your Spouse’s Military Career

November 9, 2023 by Julie

I was recently added to a Facebook group for my husband’s first duty station in Schweinfurt, Germany. While the post has been closed, the group is mostly about our memories of our time there. My husband arrived there in late 2005 and me, and my son joined him in March of 2006. We lived there until May of 2008 when we moved to our second duty station in Germany, Grafenwoehr. We were there until we moved back to the states in 2010.

Spending four years in Germany was quite the experience. Sometimes I loved being there; sometimes I hated it. Sometimes I couldn’t quite believe we were living in Germany. Having a baby, raising toddlers, and having a deployed husband can make for a different kind of experience than we might otherwise have had.

As I think back to those years, I realize there are quite a few things about being stationed in Germany that will stick with you forever. That those of us that had the experience have a bond, one that can connect us over the years.

Here are 22 signs that you have been stationed in Germany during your spouse’s military career:

1. You can still recite AFN commercials, even years later. I mean, you did see the same ones over and over, how could they not stick in your head?

2. No matter how bad on post housing is now, you can handle it; you survived stairwell housing, you can survive anything.

3. You miss your beer truck. Enough said.

4. You are still finding Euro coins, in every corner of your house.

5. You have at least one child who was born there if not two or three.

22 Signs That You Have Been Stationed in Germany During Your Spouse's Military Career

6. “Ausfahrt” still makes you giggle.

7. The German section at your local Commissary simply doesn’t measure up.

8. You can talk about that one time when you flew nine hours on a flight with a one-year-old on your lap, trying to save $700 on their ticket. Not worth it. 

9. You get excited when ordering a soda and it arrives with ice in it.

10. German music still makes you smile.

11. Whenever you meet another spouse and hear they were stationed in Germany, you have to talk about your shared experiences.

22 Signs That You Have Been Stationed in Germany During Your Spouse's Military Career

12. You miss the community feel that you can only find overseas.

13. You get annoyed that you have to pay for a care package. You miss when they were free. APO to APO shipping was the best.

14. It takes you two years until you stop asking every store and restaurant if they take a card. Of course, they do silly.

15. You keep wondering why your waitress wants to rush you out of the restaurant, in Germany, they let you chill for as long as you wanted.

16. You still get super excited that you can go to Target anytime you want.

17. You cry when you break a dish because you know you can’t go back to the little German shop you bought it from and buy another one.

18. Your children have been to 10 countries already, and they are only six year’s old.

19. You swore you would never go to Taco Bell or Burger King again, but that only lasted three months.

20. The idea of being 9 hours behind your deployed spouse is crazy; you are used to just a couple hours difference.

21. You feel guilty throwing away anything that isn’t food scraps and wonder why your American city doesn’t recycle at all.

22. You have fond memories of your time there, the people you met, and the adventures you have. And you hope every military spouse gets the chance to experience something just like that during their time as a military family.

Have you ever been stationed in Germany? When were you there?

Filed Under: Stationed in Germany Tagged With: germany, military life, stationed in germany

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

November 8, 2023 by Julie Leave a Comment

If you are stationed at Fort Campbell, you are less than an hour from the Opry Mills Mall. This mall is an outlet mall and it’s huge. It takes a while to walk around the entire thing, and you can do just that as the mall is basically a circle. The mall has over 200 stores, a movie theater, Dave and Busters, a huge food court with a variety of choices, and quite a few sit-down restaurants as well.

You can also park at the Opry Mills Mall and walk over to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel which is quite the experience, even if you don’t stay there. Which, if you want to visit the hotel I would recommend doing because parking at the hotel is quite pricey. The Grand Ole Opry House is also right next to the mall.

The Opry Mills Mall opened in 2000 at the former site of the Opryland Theme park. In May of 2010 however, the mall had to close due to the massive floods that were going on in Tennessee. The mall finally reopened in 2012 after two years of repairs although some of the big stores like Bass Pro Shops opened up sooner.

Our family goes to this mall pretty often. It’s worth the 45-minute drive from Fort Campbell and has something for everyone.

Many of the stores also have military discounts, at least at the Opry Mills Mall. Keep in mind that sometimes military discounts are location-dependent or dependent on what that particular manager wants to offer customers.

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Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

And most of the stores that do offer military discounts, have this star in their window! I have walked around the Opry Mills mall so many times and wanted to share some of the stores that do offer military discounts.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Gamestop is a must-stop for our family of gamers! Everyone loves it and wants to check out the new games and toys they have available. Gamestop offers a 10% military discount.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

At Under Armour, you can find clothing and shoes. They have a military discount of 20%, although sometimes they will offer up to 40%.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Another must for our family or well me to shop for our family, is Hurley! They have clothing for men, women, and kids, with a surfer/swimmer theme in mind. Check with your local store for current discount!

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Need shoes for your kids? Kids Foot Locker gives out a 10% military discount. You can also find this at the regular Foot Locker too.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Bass Pro Shops is a fun place to go, especially around Christmas time. They offer a 10% military discount.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

At Nautica, you can find closes inspired by the sea! Save a few dollars with their military discount.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Sun & Ski Sports is perfect if you are looking for a new jacket, skiing gear, or a new backpack. They have a 10% military discount.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Looking for casual clothing? Head to Buckle and save 10% with their military discount.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Hollister is another clothing store. Save 10-15% depending on your location.

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

Vera Bradley is my must-stop shop at the Opry Mills Mall. They have a 15% military discount and you can use it on top of their amazing discounts. Talk about saving money!

Military Discounts at the Opry Mills Mall in Nashville

It’s my favorite shoe store! I love that they have a military discount too. Use it with some of their promotions to get some new shoes.

Yankee Candle is another favorite. Save 10% with their military discount.

There are of course many more military discounts at the Opry Mills Mall. If you are stationed at Fort Campbell, make sure to plan a trip! It can be a fun experience for the whole family.

Filed Under: Military Discounts Tagged With: military Discounts, nashville, Tennessee

Shoney’s Veterans Day 2023 Free Breakfast Deal

November 7, 2023 by Julie Leave a Comment

Last year, I took my Dad to a restaurant on Veterans Day to get him his very first free meal as a Veteran. He served in the Air Force in the late 1960s/early 1970s but had never been in for a free meal. I loved that he finally got to experience this! We met a few other veterans there that day too.

There are many different places that offer a free meal to veterans on Veterans Day, or the weekend surrounding it. It’s a great way for businesses to give back to the military community.

Shoney’s is one of those places and is offering a free breakfast on Veterans Day!

Check out the details below!

Shoney's Veterans Day 2023 Free Breakfast Deal

Veterans and active duty military eat free on Saturday, November 11th, 2023 at your local Shoney’s restaurant! This offer is good from opening until 11:00 am. Proof of military service is required, and it is for dine-in orders only. Only at participating locations.

Enjoy your meal!

Shoney's Veterans Day 2023 Free Breakfast Deal

Filed Under: Military Discounts Tagged With: military Discounts, Veterans, Veterans Day

9 Memes For Your Life As a Modern Military Spouse

November 3, 2023 by Julie Leave a Comment

9 Memes For Your Life As a Modern Military Spouse

This military spouse life we live can be quite a unique experience. From PCSing every few years, to solo parenting, to having some exciting adventures we never thought possible. Military life has a way of making us laugh and making us cry, all in the same day.

Here are 9 military spouse memes that I am sure you can relate to. Feel free to share with your friends!

PIVOT! Yes, we absolutely have to pivot during military life. Even if we don’t want to. We make the best of every situation. And go with plan B, C…all the way to Z if we need to.

It is totally okay to feel lost when you move to a new duty station. Take some time. You will find your place.

That’s the key…embrace the good, and find what works for you to get through the bad.

It’s so hard to plan when you really have no idea what the next year will be like.

This too shall pass…this too shall pass…this too shall pass!

This is the truth about all the amazing people we meet during military life. We can’t always live in the same area, but we also do have our memories.

Oh waiting on paperwork is the worst! Why can’t they make it easier?

At the end of the day, we do have one another. We can lift each other up, help each other through, and walk through this military life together.

I feel like I am still learning. There is so much to figure out.

Filed Under: Military Life Tagged With: military spouse, Military spouse memes, Milspouse

The Type of Military Spouse It’s Okay To Be

October 17, 2023 by Julie

 

The Type of Military Spouse It's Okay To Be

It’s okay…

You see it’s okay to be you. You are your own person. You have your own likes, dislikes and belief systems. You are who you are.

It’s okay to cry during a deployment, and it’s okay if you don’t. We don’t all handle deployment in the same way.

It’s okay to go home for a deployment because you feel that is what you need to get through. It’s okay to stay at your duty station because you can’t imagine going anywhere else while they are gone.

It’s okay if your house is kinda messy all the time and it’s okay if you are a neat freak that can’t sleep if anything is out of order.

It’s okay if you binge watch something every Friday night, and it’s okay if you never watch tv.

It’s okay if you have two children, or three children, or five children. It’s okay if you never want children and want to stay childfree.

It’s okay if you are a Christian, it’s okay if you are a Muslim, it’s okay if you are Jewish, it is okay if you are Hindu, and it’s okay if you don’t practice any type of religion at all. We all come from our own backgrounds and we all worship who we are going to worship.

It’s okay if you are a Republican, it’s okay if you are a Democrat, and it’s okay if you are not sure what you are and don’t want to pick a party.

It’s okay if you want to buy a house at your duty station and it is okay if you don’t want to own until after military retirement.

It’s okay if you want three dogs and it’s okay if pets are the last thing you want to deal with.

The Type of Military Spouse It's Okay To Be

It’s okay to be frustrated that you can’t find a job and it is okay to be happy that you are finally a SAHM.

It’s okay to be from a tiny town in Georgia, and it is okay to be from New York City and it’s okay that the two of you are best friends who met at a base in Hawaii.

It’s okay to love the show Army Wives, and it’s okay to hate that show with every fiber of your being.

It’s okay to be excited about going to spend four years in Germany, and it’s okay to be scared to death about leaving everything you have ever known.

It’s okay to go all out, hire a photographer for homecoming and spend $100 on an outfit. It’s okay to bring along a friend with an iPhone and to wear your favorite outfit from last year.

It’s okay to go to every ball and dance the night away. It’s okay to skip them and never attend, even if your spouse has to go.

It’s okay to love the FRG and volunteer to help. It’s okay to say no thank you and not attend spouse events as a general rule.

The Type of Military Spouse It's Okay To Be

You see, these are the types of military spouses you are okay to be. It’s okay to be you.

What is not okay is to bash others you don’t understand. It’s not okay to make fun of a spouse that is having a harder time than you are. It’s not okay to be unfaithful to your spouse, especially when they are deployed. It’s not okay to use the D word (you know the one) when referring to those you don’t understand.

You see, the military community is a diverse place. Military spouses are not all the same, and we can learn from one another. We come from all over the US and even other countries. We have different backgrounds and don’t all think the same.

But the one thing we have in common is that we are married to someone serving in our military. We have to say goodbye to them as they leave for deployment. We have to pack up everything and move every few years. We have to be strong, even when it feels like we can’t be anymore.

You see, the type of military spouse that it’s okay to be is one who is loyal, one who is able, one who is willing, and one who will do what they need to do to get through each day. 

Filed Under: Military Life Tagged With: military life, military spouse, Milspouse

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About Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life

 

Welcome to Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life! I am so glad you are here.

My name is Julie and I first became a military spouse in 2005 when my husband of 3 years re-joined the Army. Then, in 2014, he joined the National Guard. In January of 2024, he retired from the National Guard after 21 years of service.

During our time in the military, we got to spend 4 years in Germany as well as Tennessee where we now call home.

We have three boys and have been through four deployments together.

I hope that you can find support for your own deployments, PCS moves, or anything else military life brings you through my articles and social media posts.

 

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