Heroes are what we call our servicemen and women, and rightfully so. They volunteer to sign the dotted line and serve their country, no matter the cost. But what about the service-members that didn’t volunteer for the military lifestyle? We believe that military spouses are unsung heroes, as the ones behind the scenes carrying the load with no parades or recognition for their hard work at home.
There’s no blueprint for what a day in the life of a military spouse looks like, but there are common themes that every husband or wife experiences during their spouse’s service.
When a loved one is deployed, days often run together, hours sometimes passing fast with children’s activities and record-breaking Netflix marathons, and sometimes tick by filled with worry and fears of the unknown.
So much falls on the military spouse. They have to take care of the household, bills, family schedules, doctor’s appointments, homework, and lunches, and essentially operate as a single parent while half their heart is halfway around the globe. All while holding their breath for the next phone call, which could come at any hour.
For the spouses with stateside partners, life looks a little different. They are still juggling the same tasks, but instead of waiting on a phone call, they’re supporting their service-member by washing uniforms with unknown smells, soaking their blistered feet in hydrogen peroxide, or putting on a smile even when they don’t feel like it, because socializing means a lot.
And for both groups, there’s the constant anticipation of where they’re going next. Frequent moves make life feel like a revolving door and it affects everyone, especially spouses and children. The pressure of trying to make military housing feel like home at every station, or the stress of researching a new area and its school districts to find the perfect home, knowing it won’t be forever, can take a toll. You can’t make new old friends, and military families are reminded of that over and over again as they are uprooted and transplanted around the globe.
For all the stressors and burdens on a military spouse, there also comes tremendous patriotism and deep-rooted feelings of service. Being married to a service-member gives spouses a firsthand look at how the military operates and several opportunities to get involved in supporting a bigger mission. From planning family gatherings and company events to organizing care package deliveries and homecoming celebrations, spouses can be as involved as they want to be in supporting our military men and women.
As combat veterans, we know the importance of our homefront support system. Service-members couldn’t do what they do without the support of their families. Whether it’s care packages when we’re away or organizing our mountain of rucksack equipment when we’re home, we are thankful for our families that sacrifice so much so that we can serve.
So, thank you. We see you and we appreciate you. You are the unsung heroes of the military.
