It was October of 2005. We had moved to Lexington, KY the April before. We knew we needed a big change. We knew Ben needed a new career. He had been in the Army before and knew he could do it again. We decided together for him to enlist. He was ready earlier than I was. By October I was ready. My friend was getting married the first weekend in November so I told him we had to wait until after that. We should have waited until after the holidays. Stuff just doesn’t get done like it should during the holidays when it comes to paperwork and the Military.

He left for MEPS. We assumed he would have to repeat basic. It was 2005 and he went to basic in 1996. A lot had changed in that time. 9/11 happened. But when I picked him up from MEPS later that day he told me that he didn’t have to repeat basic. That he was going to Europe and he would leave in two weeks. Say what? Really? That fast? Yep, it happened that fast. In just a few weeks we went from a civilian couple to a Military one stationed in Germany.

We thought it would take a month to join him in Germany. It took 4.5 months. Welcome to Army life. Hurry up and wait. He deployed about five months after we got to Germany. He deployed a year exactly after he got back from that deployment. Then he deployed for the 3rd time 15 months after that deployment. I am praying that this next break can be two years but probably not.

I can’t say I love the Army all the time. I can’t say it is horrible all of the time. I have had a lot of good come from being an Army wife. I have shed a lot of tears because of Military life.

I am not sure how long my husband will be in. Not sure he will re-enlist next time. We still have some time to decide. I do know that the last 7 years have been a roller coaster for us. Not exactly what I expected Army life to be like. Not sure I really even knew what to think about what Army life would be like.

How long have you been a Military spouse?