My Life as an Army Wife

My name is Lisa and I am an Army wife married to a SGT in the Army. My husband has just returned home from Iraq a few months ago. That was the toughest year for us both. It was constant fear everyday. I was so scared thinking he wouldn’t come back home to me. I was very proud of my husband for choosing to defend our country but at the same time I was angry at the government for keeping this war going. So many men had been killed and I didn’t understand why they kept the troops there.

It was a very emotional time for me. I felt that no one could understand how I felt. I would go weeks sometimes a month without a word from my husband and that just made it worse. I had begun to hate the military and was tired of always being alone. The first year we were stationed in Colorado he was always gone in the field training. Sometimes weeks at a time. I had never been away from home before so it was hard for me. I became very homesick and depressed. So then i had begun speaking with a Chaplin on the post. He gave me suggestions of how to deal with the deployment. I had begun to make friends and seen that someone finally understood how I felt because they were going through the same things.

I had volunteered as a family care team member in my husband’s unit. I had met a lot of good people and started going to FRG meetings and joining in at functions. The time started to fly by and I was thankful. I once again felt happy and realized what sacrifices were really all about. The fears were always still there for my husband but I had learned to have more faith and support the troops.

After 4 months of being in Iraq he came home for 2 weeks for R&R. It was such a emotional time. I was so happy to see him and have him home again but I also knew I had to send him back again. I tried not to think about it and just enjoy our time together. He had just lost 2 friends in Iraq a few weeks before he came home. He seemed to be so distant from me and I couldn’t understand. It seemed as if he was a different person. I knew that he had seen a lot of bad things and been through a lot. But I wanted him to talk to me as if he always had in the past. So I just gave him his space, I didn’t wanna make things harder for him. So I just focused on making his time home a great one.

We started doing things away from the post. It was the first time in 2 years that we were able to enjoy ourselves without putting the military first. Then came the time for him to leave and it was worse than the first time. I didn’t want him to get on that plane. I tried to be strong but it was just impossible. I had him with me and I knew with him there I couldn’t keep him safe. I felt helpless and scared for him. I knew it would be another 8 months before I would see him again. I was so tired of always telling him bye and having to walk away.

I don’t think people really understand what it’s like to be married to someone in the military. You have to be stronger than most and accept things regardless if you agree with them or not. My husband has 3 more years left in the military and we have just came to our 2 nd duty station. It’s a lot better cause we are a lot closer to home. But we have to start all over again with getting to know the area and making friends all over again. So after 3 years in the military I have learned to deal with the changes that is gonna occur in our lives and started to be more positive about it. Instead of being upset about being far away I have learned that new changes can also be good. It is pretty neat of all the places that you can go. The people that you meet in the military are great people and even though some come and go a lot some will remain in your heart forever. I have now realized that the military is now apart of our family as well.

I am very proud of my husband for his accomplishments in the Army. He has came a long way in just a few years. He went from a PV2 to a SGT in less than 2 years and that is something that isn’t easy in the military. He is now training the guys in basic training and hopefully wont have to return to Iraq. I still continue to support the troops with any way that I can. I am hoping that they are return home soon to their loved ones safe and sound. Even if you don’t support the war in Iraq, you should at least support the men and women that serve in the military. I am proud of them all and they all are hero’s in my eyes. Defending your country during a war is the bravest thing a person can do. Please continue to pray for them. For they all deserve and need them. I hope my story will touch you or at least give you a better understanding of what life is for us in the military.