Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

military life

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

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A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Being a military spouse, I get asked all the time if I watched Army Wives. There is something about military themed movies and tv shows that can show our civilian friends a window into our world. Some of these are really good at showing our military lives and others, not as much.

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Most of the military themed movies and tv shows out there focus on the service member. Either showing a war, life after war, or a humorous take on it all. Some include the military spouse, and of course, we have Army Wives.

When watching some of these movies, we might laugh at how wrong they are wearing their uniform, or cry at how real they were able to show the emotions of those dealing with deployments and everything that comes with military life. We might get excited to see our favorite actor putting on a uniform, or watch with nostalgia, a movie or television show we remember watching when we were younger.

Whether you love them, or they drive you nuts, here is a super long list of military themed movies and tv shows to watch:

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Military themed tv shows and miniseries

Army Wives

The Astronaut Wives Club

Band of Brothers

The Brave

Generation Kill

Enlisted

Hogan’s Heroes

The Last Ship

The Last Post

The Long Road Home

Jag

Mash

McHale’s Navy

NCIS

The Pacific

The Unit

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Military themed movies

12 Strong

13 Hours

American Sniper

Black Hawk Down

Born on the 4th of July

Brothers

Captain America

Coming Home

Courage Under Fire

Dear John

Dunkirk

A Few Good Men

Forest Gump

Full Metal Jacket

Fury

Good Morning Vietnam

Gone With the Wind

The Great Escape

Green Zone

Hacksaw Ridge

The Hurt Locker

Jarhead

Lone Survivor

Love and Honor

Lucky One

Max

Megan Leavey

Men of Honor

The Patriot

Patton

Pearl Harbor

Private Benjamin

Three Kings

Sand Castle

Sands of Iwo Jima

Saving Private Ryan

The Shooter

Stop Loss

Thank You For Your Service

Top Gun

We Were Soldiers

Unbroken

White Christmas

Zero Dark Thirty

 

What would you add to this list? What are your favorite military themed movies and television shows?

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

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For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment orders come, and the bags start getting packed, we watch, we cry, we understand that this is what they signed up for.

To leave, to deploy, to go too far away and do what they are trained to do.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment begins, we start the countdown, we think about the days ahead, we find ways to power through.

We look at our children, we know this will be hard for them too, but we power on, we know this is what we have to do.

We know that deployments don’t last forever, but we also know that the days between saying goodbye and hello again will always seem too long.

We may have been through a deployment before, but that won’t make this deployment any easier.

When the deployment begins, we hope that this time we won’t have as many breakdowns.

That this time we will figure out the right mix of busy, and that we will get through better than the last time.

We know that we have friends we can depend on, but we worry they won’t truly understand. What if this deployment is the one that breaks us? What if even a friend’s hug and a friend’s ear won’t be enough?

We hope that we can help others because we have been through this all before. But we also know that we will have our share of difficult days, that doesn’t stop just because this isn’t the first time we had to say goodbye.

When the deployment begins, we start our daily prayers.

Worrying that they won’t be enough. Worrying that nothing we can do can ensure they will come back when they are supposed to come back.

We try not to think about all that. We try to think about how brave our spouse is and how amazing life can be to be married to someone who serves in the military.

We are proud of them. Proud that they signed up. Proud that they will deploy. Proud that they put on the uniform to help protect our country.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment begins, we walk around our home, knowing that everything from their smile to their dirty laundry will be missed during the next few months.

We know that this deployment is just one of our struggles. That this deployment isn’t coming at a good time, but we also wonder if there would ever be a good time for us to say goodbye for nine months.

We understand why they have to go, sorta. Not everything makes sense, but we know that there is a mission and a reason for them to have to go where they have to go.

We make plans with friends, we join groups, we stay busy. We do this because we know how much it works, we do this because we have to.

When the deployment begins, we walk around in a fog, but thankfully that only lasts for a couple of days.

We soon figure out how to carry on, how to get up and get moving, how to find ways to thrive, even in the mist of surviving.

We plan care packages, we write love letters, and we plan for the future.

We think about after the deployment, when things will be normal again, and then wonder how normal they will be after yet another deployment.

When the deployment begins, we don’t have any idea about how we will grow during this time apart.

We hope that we can become stronger so that in the future this won’t be so hard.

We know that even if we do become strong through this deployment, that we will always struggle when we say goodbye to our husband or wife.

We know that starting a deployment is never going to be easy.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

When the deployment begins, life can seem upside down.

We now have a new normal to figure out. One that won’t be easy. One that might not even make any sense.

We can work hard to keep things the same, especially for the kids. But this doesn’t always work, you know there is something missing.

We can do our best to stay positive through everything, but some days we will just want to cry, and we need to remind ourselves that crying is okay to do sometimes.

When the deployment begins, we can look ahead at the time apart and take advantage of what it has to offer.

We can work on ourselves, we can work on our hobbies, we can go to school, we can start a new job, we can do so many things that might be harder to accomplish when they are home.

We can find the benefits to this situation, even though a deployment has plenty to get upset about.

We tell ourselves that we are going to kick Murphy’s law to the curb, and then laugh because of how crazy things get anyway.

When the deployment begins, we have the choice to make plans to make it through or walk away. 

We might not know how we are going to handle this, but we know that we want to because we love our service member and as a military spouse we know this is what we have to do.

The truth is, to get through a deployment, we need to figure out what works for us.

We can make lists; we can make plans, we can figure things out so that the days will go by and we can deal with whatever comes our way.

For the Military Spouse, When The Deployment Begins

If you have just started a deployment, think about everything you would need to help you get through. Reach out to other spouses and find people to depend on. Know that you are not the only one feeling like you are feeling right now. Deployments can be rough. But you will be able to find ways to get through, even if you have to take things one day at a time.

Looking for more deployment blog posts? 

Don’t Miss The Costco Military Hour Event On March 24th

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Don’t Miss The Costco Military Hour Event On March 24th

This is a sponsored post! 

 

Raise your hand if you like Costco? I know I do! Costco was one of the places we had to go when we visited home while living in Germany. You can always find something fun to buy and you gotta love the free samples.

I wanted to let you guys know about the Costco Military Hour event coming up March 24th from 8 am to 9:30 am!

What is Costco Military Hour?

The Military Hour is for you and your family to shop together before the doors open to the general public. You will be able to mix and mingle with your local military community, enjoy free samples, exciting product demos, and delicious snacks. The first 100 attendees will receive swag bags filled with goodies!

Sound like fun?

You will need to be a Costco member to attend but if not, no worries.

You can purchase your Costco Membership Activation Certificate today at this link https://hosted-pages.id.me/costcomilitaryhour‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌ Take advantage of an exclusive new membership offer for military members who join Costco as new members.

This event will take place at 117 of the warehouses across the U.S. You will need your military ID or your registration confirmation to show at the door at the selected Costco location.

Please visit https://shophourevent.com/ to RSVP to a location near you.‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

15 Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

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15 Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

15 Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Military life is a world of its own. From navigating deployments to moving every few years. What better way to explain military life than in a meme.

Here are 15 memes that explain what military life is really like:

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Seriously! Some days have you crying in your pillow, that is just the way things go. Luckily, not every day is like that.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

The pre-deployment period is never easy. You might end up fighting a lot and not even sure why. Both of you are stressed, and as much as you hate saying so, you are ready for them to go. Only because you want to start your deployment countdown to get them back home.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Sometimes you just have to say the truth, deployments suck.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Don’t feel like you have to be the perfect military spouse. For one thing, they don’t exist. For another, you will burn yourself out trying. Just be yourself as much as possible. It’s okay to ask for help, cry into your pillow, or just rethink the way you are going to get through deployments.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Over time we get more used to saying goodbye for longer periods. They are not always easy, but we do know that saying goodbye for months at a time can be the norm in our military lives.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Wine. It’s what gets you through. Is there ever enough?

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Keep the lines of communication as open as you can, even if that means writing letters and emails. You won’t always be able to talk in person or on the phone, but you can still work on your relationship. Military marriage brings up extra stresses that other couples don’t have to deal with, but if you put your marriage first, that will go a long way in helping the two of you stay connected through the miles.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

We all need friends, even if it takes us some time to make them.
Keep putting yourself out there, and you will find your tribe. 

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

You never know how strong you are until you have to go through something you didn’t think you could. This is so true for deployments and other parts of military life. We go through things we didn’t think we would ever have to go through. We do it because we love our service member and want to support them as a military spouse.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

There is always so much debate about OPSEC in military spouse circles. Should you say this, should you say that? But in the end, just be careful and if you are not sure if you should post about something, lean on the side of not posting it.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

We, military spouses, love those 5-minute phone calls because they are better than no phone calls. Although, a 45-minute photo call is even better.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

How many times have we been asked for our spouse’s SSN? Do you even still remember yours?

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Binge watching is an excellent way to get through those lonely deployment nights. After the kids go to bed, the nights can get quite lonely. Turn on a new show and get to binging.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

Saying goodbye is never easy. Here are some tips to help you if you have to say goodbye to your spouse.

 

Memes That Explain What Military Life is Really Like

One thing that can help you through this crazy military life is knowing that you are not alone. You are not the only one going through a deployment. You are not the only one that has to move away from their hometown to a place across the country. You are not the only one who has to move right when you have found your best friends.

Enjoy these memes and remember, you got this military life! 

Why You Should Go to at Least One FRG Meeting

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Why You Should Go to at Least One FRG Meeting

What first comes to mind when you hear the word, “FRG meeting?” Does it make you cringe? Does hearing that give you warm memories of former duty stations? Do you wonder even how to find your FRG?

The FRG gets a bad rap, it really does. And not exactly without reason. Not all FRGs are good, and some of them are filled with drama. That being said, I always think it is a good idea to go to at least one FRG meeting at your new duty station, especially if your spouse is going to be deployed.

Why You Should Go to at Least One FRG Meeting

FRG stands for Family Readiness Group. You can normally find them within the Company and Battalion levels. While FRG is mainly an ARMY term, they might be called something else if you are in another branch.

Key Spouse Program, Family Readiness Program, the Ombudsman Program or the Work-Life Program accomplishes the same type of thing in other branches. They all offer support for the families of those who serve.

I have been in quite a few FRGs, and they can truly be amazing places to make friends, learn what is going on, and feel more connected to what your spouse is doing. Not every FRG experiences are good ones, and that is the main reason people stay away from them even if they have an active one. But, I do think they are worth checking out, at least to see how they are run and what they have going on.

So why should you go to at least one FRG Meeting? Here are some reasons:

To meet people

As military spouses, we are always looking for ways to make friends, especially if we are new to our duty station. The FRG can be a place to do so. These other spouses are married to someone that does the same type of thing your own spouse does.

These people are worth befriending or at least trying to befriend. They are in a very similar road that you are, and that is worth exploring. Even if you don’t find your best friend in the group, getting to know others that will be on the same deployment timeline that you will be is a good thing.

To understand what your spouse does

Knowing exactly what your spouse does can be a bit confusing, especially when they are deployed. Going to your FRG can help you understand more about their job and allow you to meet other more seasoned spouses than understand what being married to someone with that job is like. Sometimes you can feel a bit lost, even within the military world but finding other spouses who are in the know can be very helpful.

Why You Should Go to at Least One FRG Meeting

For connection when your service member is deployed

My best experiences with FRGs have been when my husband was deployed. From monthly Monday coffee dates to BBQs with the kids, to get-togethers, to making homecoming signs. These wives or other spouses are in this with you, no matter how long the deployment will be.

If your husband is going to deploy in the near future, having a good FRG connection is a smart idea. Towards the end of a deployment, an FRG meeting is going to be the place to go to get the best information. Information about when to send the last care package, how homecoming is going to go, and how to get through those last weeks apart. If nothing else, having other spouses to get through those last few weeks of a deployment with is a good idea.

To stay busy

You have all heard the advice that you need to stay busy during your deployment. The FRG is one way to do so. Many FRGs have regular events as well as the regular FRG meeting.

If your FRG doesn’t have anything going on, you could be the one to start something. FRGs can also spin off to create other groups such as book clubs, running clubs, and even regular playdates. While you don’t need an FRG to stay busy during a deployment, they can be one of the places you turn to when you are looking for ways to fill up your calendar.

Why You Should Go to at Least One FRG Meeting

To make your FRG a better place

Writing off your FRG is way too easy, committing to make the FRG better is a lot harder to do. Not all of us have the time or energy to help do this but if you do, consider stepping up and volunteering in your FRG. Not only will this be good for you but it will be good for all the spouses in the FRG. A good FRG takes people who want it to be so.

You don’t have to be the FRG leader, there are other roles that need to be filled. Talk to the people in your FRG to find out what they need help with. The more help the FRG has, the stronger the group can become.

Because one bad FRG experience shouldn’t turn you off forever

Maybe you had a horrible experience with your FRG at your previous duty station, but that doesn’t mean this FRG will be the same. You could end up with an amazing group and wouldn’t even know it if you don’t at least go to one meeting. You never know what the FRG is going to be like until you visit the FRG and find out for yourself.

Don’t let one bad experience turn you off forever. There might be drama, but you don’t have to be apart of that nonsense. Work together to keep the drama away from your FRG so everyone can have a better experience.

While an FRG might not be for everyone, they are worth checking out. Try to go into your first FRG meeting with an open mind; you might be surprised at what you find. A good FRG will help you and your family have a better experience during a deployment and at your duty station in general.

Do you go to your FRG meetings? Why or why not?

The Military Spouse’s Guide to Making Friends in a Social Media World

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The Military Spouse’s Guide to Making Friends in a Social Media World

Making friends in a social media world should make things easier, right? I mean, we can talk to anyone at any time. If we wanted to find a friend who loves Doctor Who and lives in Kentucky, it would take us a couple of minutes to find a place to look for someone who fits that description. There are groups, communities, and pages for almost any type of topic.

So why is it still so hard to make friends? Why do we feel so alone when moving to our next duty station? Why is there so much drama when it comes to the military spouse community?

The Military Spouse's Guide to Making Friends in a Social Media World

Social media can be such a blessing for us military spouses. Social media allows us to talk to others at our future duty stations, stay connected to friends who have moved far away, and share photos and our lives with our family and friends back at home.

However, social media can also cause us to stay in our homes when we should be pushing ourselves for more in-person connections. Social media can also make us feel less than, as we tend to compare our full stories to everyone else’s highlight reel. Bullying is a lot easier to do online, as people can hide behind their phones and their computers.

So what is a military spouse to do when trying to find connections in this life?

Here are some ideas:

Use social media to help you find in-person events

Make sure of social media to find in-person events at your duty station. You can look for one time events such as a 5K, an MWR event, or something going on at the local library. You can also look for meetings and clubs that happen a couple times a month, or even weekly. Look for your local MOPS group, a book club, a running club, or a playgroup. In some cases, you can join a Facebook group, introduce yourself, and ask questions before you attend your first meeting.

Reach out but with caution

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you meet in your local group or in person. But also, make sure to use caution. Not everyone is who they appear to be online. If you meet up with someone you met online, make sure to always do so in a public place and tell someone where you are going. You also don’t have to become friends with everyone you meet. Some people are better acquaintances while others will turn into best friends.

Don’t be afraid to start something new

If you can’t find the right group at your duty station, think about starting your own. There are probably other spouses in your area who are into what you are into too. Make a plan, post about it in your local Facebook group, and don’t be afraid to try more than once if the plan doesn’t work out at first. Sometimes new groups take a while to grow, but they can be the right answer when you are looking for friends you have something in common with.

Stay away from the drama, as much as you can

While you can’t stay away from drama 100%, you can make sure you are not looking for it or adding to it. Calling people names, bullying them online, and not showing kindness most of the time will cause you to be involved in more drama that you should be. Your life doesn’t have to involve that much drama, it really doesn’t.

Be real with your social media posts

Sometimes I wish we could all agree to be more real in our social media posts. Sometimes we only share things when life is going well. We only talk about when we moved into a big beautiful house, not how hard it was to save for the downpayment. We talk about how much we love our husband, but we don’t talk about how hard marriage can sometimes be. We talk about the homecoming and don’t mention that we too had too many nights when they were gone when we just didn’t think we could make it another day.

Don’t share everything

As much as being real on social media is a good idea, we also should make sure we are not oversharing everything. We can share that we are struggling without every single detail. And some conversations are better for private messages or in person get-togethers.

If we use social media to bash other people, that will make others be wary of befriending us. We don’t want to end up being a future post on your timeline. This also applies to Facebook groups as none of them are going to be as private as you think they are.

Don’t give up

Whatever you do, don’t give up on finding friends. Don’t just shut yourself up in your house with the excuse that everyone around you sucks. I don’t think that is true; you just haven’t found your people yet. If your friends have all just moved away, you might also feel like it would be too hard to try again, but if you do, you will find there are new friendships to make, and new people to meet.

Always remember OPSEC and PERSEC

Whenever you are on social media, make sure you are always thinking about OPSEC and PERSEC. You don’t want to share information that could be used by the enemy. You don’t want to share specific dates and locations or too much info about your service member. Always lean on the side of not sharing if you are not sure as that will never get you in trouble.

Finding friendships with other military spouses is a must. They can help you through the more difficult of times and allow you to have a much better experience at your duty station. Finding new friends isn’t always eat, but doing so is worth putting in the effort to find them, whether you do so on or offline.

Where do you like to find friends at your duty station?

 

Why You Should Be Tipping the Commissary Baggers

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Why You Should Be Tipping the Commissary Baggers

There is something special about the Commissary. This is the place you can go on your duty station to buy groceries. In a lot of places, you will save money by doing so, although that isn’t always the case and isn’t the case for every item in the store. Some Commissaries are pretty big, and some are pretty small, depending on your duty station.

Why You Should Be Tipping the Commissary Baggers

The Commissary is one of the many military benefits your service member receives when they start serving their country. This started back in 1825 when Army officers could make purchases. In 1841, they could start buying for their immediate families too. In 1867, enlisted service members could start buying at the Commissary.

The first overseas Commissary opened in 1899/1900 in the Philippines and China. While just the Army had Commissaries at first, the Navy and the Marines Corp opened their first stores in 1909/10 and the Air Force in 1947/48. These days, all service members, including the National Guard and Reserves as well as Retirees can shop at the Commissary.

You can read more about the history of the Commissary on their website! 

Why You Should Be Tipping the Commissary Baggers

Image source

The Commissary is meant to be comparable to what you can find in a regular grocery store.

But for a cheaper cost. While this, of course, isn’t always the case these days, and not for every product, overall shopping there can save you a bit of money.

The Defence Commissary Agency (DeCA) was established in 1990 and they are who run the Commissary today. Commissaries sell at cost and we pay a surcharge which helps with new stores and renovations. Baggers work for tips only and they are not government or commissary employees but considered self-employed.

Baggers at the Commissary are not the same as baggers at your local grocery store.

Why You Should Be Tipping the Commissary Baggers

So why should you always tip your bagger?

I have heard some pushback about having to tip the baggers. Do you have to do so? What if you want to take the groceries out yourself? What if they don’t do a good job?

The thing to remember is that while the Commissary can resemble and look like your regular old grocery store, they are not. They are a military benefit to help you save money on your groceries. Because of this, things are done a little bit differently. The only money the baggers make is what they get from tips.

If a commissary bagger brings your groceries to your car, please tip them.

Do you have to? Well no, if you don’t, no one is going to write you up or give you a ticket but it is not a nice way to treat your baggers. If you don’t have any cash to give them, know that you can get cash back when you pay, and the cashiers are pretty used to people asking for that.

If you can’t do that or don’t want to use the baggers, you also don’t have to do that either. Most Commissaries have a self-checkout section that you can use.

I have been using the Commissary since 2006 and 99% of the baggers I have met have been good at what they do and are simply trying to earn an income. They range from high school students to stay at home moms to older spouses. They do the best they can and tipping them is so important.

Why You Should Be Tipping the Commissary Baggers

How much you tip really depends on what you feel is comfortable.

Most people tip between $3-5 depending on how many groceries they have. Some, of course, give more and some give a little extra when the weather isn’t as nice or on a holiday. Some pay by the bag or dollar amount spent.

In the end, if you go to the Commissary and use a bagger, make sure to tip them. If you don’t want to do that, if you don’t feel comfortable with that, don’t use the bagger or shop somewhere else. Don’t stiff your bagger, be nice to them, it’s the right thing to do!

 

Why The Military Should Always Be Paid, Always

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Why The Military Should Always Be Paid, Always

What a way to wake up, to hear of a government shutdown. That what so many people said wouldn’t happen did and that so many families are wondering what that means for them.

Our military is used as a bargaining chip, and sometimes that means that we will have to deal with what happens when the government gets shutdown. I am hoping that this does not last long, I am hoping that by the time you read this, the shutdown is old news, but I am not holding my breath.

Why The Military Should Always Be Paid, Always

 

No one in today’s Military was drafted.

Every single person who serves decided to do so on their own. The Military is the job they decided to do and how they help support their families. In some cases, the Military member is the only one bringing in a paycheck. Having that regular paycheck is a must.

If your spouse is deployed, you will receive extra money which helps your household. This can be an excellent time to pay off debt, save for the future or just catch up on bills.

The National Guard and Reserves have monthly drills that families are used to, those have been and could be canceled because of this. And while a canceled drill can seem like a nice break, a canceled drill also means families will be going without some of their regular income for the month.

So whether the Military member is deployed or not, that money is very important. But beyond that, to not get paid like you should is a huge slap in the face.

In a perfect world, we would all have nice sized emergency funds, but not everyone does. While it is true we should always be prepared, a lot of military families are not and live paycheck to paycheck. While it is nice to have savings, not everyone has enough to help them through something like this.

But beyond whether a family has enough money in their bank accounts to get through one or two delayed paychecks is beside the point.  What does not paying the Military do to morale? It crushes it. From the single soldier serving in Afghanistan to the Mom of four trying to hold it together while her husband is deployed for the fourth time.

To not get paid on time feels like a blow.

To have to figure out how to make a paycheck stretch that much more is added stress Military families don’t need. In 2013, the last time this happened, my husband was deployed, and the feeling that he would not get paid was beyond frustrating. I hate that for anyone going through this right now.

If you are looking for more information about what is happening, how you will be affected during this time, how services you depend on will be affected, please use these links to help:

UPDATED: How a Government Shutdown Impacts Pay, Benefits

Here’s what we know about how a government shutdown would affect the military, DoD civilians and veterans

USAA pledges help for members affected by possible January 2018 government shutdown

Navy Federal rolls out loan policy in light of possible 2018 federal shutdown

Defense Finance and Accounting Service – DFAS

Government headed for shutdown Saturday, after Senate fails to pass budget bill

What You Can and Can’t Do During a Government Shutdown

How to Survive the Government Shutdown

What should we be doing?

As we are trying to see what is going to happen with this shutdown, here is what we can do to help our situations:

  1. Try not to panic- I know that is difficult, this is a stressful situation.
  2. Look at your budget- Figure out where your gaps are. Talk to your bank. Put down on paper your plan for paying your bills.
  3. Watch for updates- Things can change quickly.
  4. Be informed- There is a lot of misinformation out there, make sure the information you are reading about all of this is correct.
  5. Breathe- This sucks, it does, but hopefully, the shutdown will not last long, and we will be back to “normal” soon.

And to anyone who has any power in this, stop using the military like this. Stop acting like it doesn’t matter if the military gets paid or not. The military should always, without question be paid on time. Always.