During the last few days we’ve heard about the Petraeus scandal. As I was reading a Facebook friends status she brought up a great point about how to a degree the media has our marriage all wrong especially in the wake of this unfolding drama involving leaders in high military positions.
Marriage is challenging period at times, and yes if you throw in the obstacles of military life it can be even more complicated. Nonetheless that doesn’t mean everyone in the military lifestyle is throwing away their marriages via infidelity and divorce. There are so many couples who have been brought even closer together because of the military.
I thought today was a better time then ever to share some of the top reasons why “Military Marriages Rock”!
Chance to Live in Exotic Romantic Places
Although my frequent readers know how I felt about living in Hawaii, I also enjoyed the many early morning romantic beach days my husband and I got to spend together on the beautiful North Shore. Many couples we knew took advantage of living in such a beautiful place and renewed their vows there. Military get chances to live in places like Germany and Italy. These are the type of places with great romantic escapes and scenery. How often does the average American get to live in any one of these exotic destinations?
Constant Reunions
Yes, deployments , TDY’s and Field Training suck! The fun part about them is that we are just about the only people I know who get to frequently live the quote “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” and reunite with our spouses several times in a year. Every time my husband left, I realized I loved him more and more each time. I loved prepping for our reunions , even if it was only a mini one where he was gone a few weeks. When you’re away from someone so often you tend to think about them more especially if your relationship already has a strong foundation.
We Get To Think of Fun and Creative Ways To Keep The Spark In Our Marriage
Deployments bring out the creative side in each spouse. Military couples are doing everything from romantic Skype dates to putting technology on the backburner and writing romantic snail mail letters. We are given the chance to express our love and commitment to each other all the time in the most unique ways. Because of our lifestyle we really don’t have a choice to do this but I personally feel that this is one of the most positive things that can come out of being separated so often.
Constant Affirmations and Reminders of Love
My husband recently told me that “during those times when we were apart is when he truly realized how much he is in love with me”. He says he begin to miss the small things that normally he would get annoyed by and also the small things I did that showed him how much I cared that he sometimes took for granted because he was home and I did them daily.
For military spouses we know that when our partner deploys they are generally heading to “not so safe” areas and as a result we are faced with that thought daily. As much as sometimes my husband would say something to tick me off , I never knew if that would be our last phone call and I learned how to control my temper and not blow up about pointless things. Being apart for many military couples does not draw them away from each other but instead draws them closer and makes each appreciate he other more.
We Know The True Meaning Of Supporting Each Other and Being Each Others Rocks
Some of us are lucky enough to PCS close to immediate family but many military couples get sent to far out remote locations where seeing extended family does not happen often, if at all during the duration of their time at that duty station. While it can be rather lonely , this is the time where many military couples learn the true meaning of being each others best friends. You spend a lot of time together and you learn so much more about your partner when you are forced to cope away from other parts of your family.
What are the reasons being married to someone in the military rocks for you?
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Great top 5 you got there ^ Don’t forget how sucky the economy is right now & how a majority of americans are out of work or struggling to keep their job! The guarantee of our hubby’s (and wives) bringing home a check twice a month and insurance for their families. I feel extremely blessed that I have the chance to be a stay at home mama to our three kids, how many normal americans out there can say they have that opportunity? Army life is a total bummer sometimes but there are definately a handful of positives :)
Hey Katie. I am currently an army gf, soon to be Fiance, and I was wondering at what age did you marry your soldier?
Also, before y’all married, how long did y’all know each other?
I don’t think you can really even compare civilian marriages to military marriages. Military families are not the only ones who deal with struggles, get to “live in romantic places”, have reunions, etc. etc. There are tons of jobs who take their loved ones from home. This life is not always for everyone and it is hard. It’s not for the weak that is for sure and it’s a constant struggle.
I totally agree with you! Being separated from my husband has definitely made us closer with each one. I love how it makes us appreciate the small things. Another thing I find a huge blessing is the fact that we have sooooo many resources available to us that civilian families DO NOT have. I also feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in my country and my family because we are making sacrifices daily. I guess it makes me feel special ;)
Great blog post! I am going through my first deployment ever with my boyfriend (his 4th!) and it is crazy at times, but what you wrote above holds a lot of truth! For someone like myself who has only been involved with a soldier for a little over a year, I can already see a lot of the things in our relationship that you mentioned. I feel as if our love has grown, and I truly believe absence makes the heart grow fonder..or as I like to say: DEPLOYMENT makes the heart grow fonder :-) You never do know if that will be the last phone call, so you cherish every time you talk to him or receive an email.