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Military Moms: July-August

21K views 554 replies 38 participants last post by  ~Katie~ 
#1 ·
So I finally realized it was July, welcome to a new thread!

Quick intro - I'm Katie, currently located at Fort Bragg where we've lived for about 2 years. My DH is an Army officer and got back from deployment in April. Next year we're moving back to NY where he'll join his National Guard unit to finish out his last three years, then we'll go from there.

Hello again to all the newcomers!
 
#2 ·
Subbing!

Hard to believe its already July. All year Ive felt like June would never get here... now its over and I have just a couple months until we welcome our little devilpup.

Still getting used to calling DH my husband rather than my fiance but I know that can take a while... The weird thing is we have been living here only a week and half and I am totally comfortable, like we have been living here months!

I guess... they say home is where the heart is, and half of my hearts been here for a couple years without me. (well also overseas but tbh I just pretended he was here most of the time... made it easier to deal with)
 
#3 ·
I noticed after I posted in the old thread that it's now July... ha whoops! Ugh! My days are blending together too much now. Monday is quickly approaching
It's going to be one interesting 4th of July celebration with my family this year.... I hope the people sitting around us at the fireworks don't mind hearing sobbing
 
#4 ·
Hi!! I am a mommy of 2 special needs boys and an Army wife going on 7 years...Plus I did some Army time myself! We are currently stationed at Fort Lewis and will be for who knows how long (well I guess the Army does). We have been stationed overseas (Italy and Germany), east coast (Belvoir and Drum) and the midwest (LeonardWood). The Army likes to move us every 18 to 24 months for some reason.
 
#5 ·
Just to reply to MW's post - I agree that that is the harsh reality of it. I figured that out first hand with this last deployment. I still did plenty of venting, though, because expecting it doesn't take away how much it sucks. In the Army, there are non-deploying units who respond to natural disasters or if we invade a country they're the first to respond. There are also TRADOC units who never deploy, but there is a limit on how long you can stay with those units.
 
#7 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by merrybee View Post
Is this thread only for military wives? I have a son who just commissioned in the Air Force. Is this thread appropriate for me or is their a different thread for me?
I'm not the one that runs it but I see no reason for you not to be here too... I am positive you will have questions that need answered the same as any of us!
 
#8 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by merrybee View Post
Is this thread only for military wives? I have a son who just commissioned in the Air Force. Is this thread appropriate for me or is their a different thread for me?
I wondered this too, only that I'm the one in the military, and DH is not. We are expecting our first child, and I'm really nervous about what the future will bring! I've been on one deployment already and there's rumors of another coming up, I can't imagine leaving an infant behind.
 
#10 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Bethusila View Post
I wondered this too, only that I'm the one in the military, and DH is not. We are expecting our first child, and I'm really nervous about what the future will bring! I've been on one deployment already and there's rumors of another coming up, I can't imagine leaving an infant behind.
Welcome! I'm military, too. Leaving an infant sucks. I left DD right when she was 6 months old.
 
#11 ·
I posted in the last thread, too.

There are units that are non-deployable, but you could still deploy as an IA. That is what happened to me. My unit did counternarcotics w/ S. America, and I went to Afghanistan as an IA. (also CN, coincidentally) You are much more likely to come down on orders as an IA if you haven't deployed before.
 
#12 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah W View Post
I posted in the last thread, too.

There are units that are non-deployable, but you could still deploy as an IA. That is what happened to me. My unit did counternarcotics w/ S. America, and I went to Afghanistan as an IA. (also CN, coincidentally) You are much more likely to come down on orders as an IA if you haven't deployed before.
Move the discussion here since the June thread is so last month LOL (yes Im the guilty one for posting there constantly still)

Are you Army?

(to answer the question... IAs are military-wide... not just Marine... so yeah a non-deployable unit in ANY branch of the military can still result in an individual deploying http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_augmentee)
 
#14 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah W View Post
Welcome! I'm military, too. Leaving an infant sucks. I left DD right when she was 6 months old.
Oh my gosh I can't even imagine that. I am Army NG, but also work full-time for the DOD. My last deployment was 2004, I figure my number is coming up pretty soon, so to speak.

You just hear so many stories about soldiers coming home after leaving an infant, and either the child doesn't remember them or there are issues with resentment or separation anxiety. Plus you're missing huge milestones at that age. I'm sure it's just another preggo worry lodged in my head, but it is a little stressful to think about.
 
#15 ·
i wanted to update you after asking so many questions. (which i can't thank you enough for your input!!) dh takes a test tuesday. the asvab i think? he's not signing up or anything yet. but he wants to take it to get an idea of what he would be doing should he join. we still have a lot of research to do before signing up and there are several men who have been in the military that he wants to talk to about their experiences and ask questions to. we still have talking to do. but after lots and lots and lots of talking, reading, asking questions, and praying i told him tonight that i support him 100% should he decide to join. it's scary and nerve-wracking but i feel good about it. i know it isn't guaranteed he will get in although i can't forsee there being any reason he wouldn't but you never know. in any case i really feel like we are supposed to pursue this... regardless of whether or not he gets in. i hope that makes sense. soooo... as we inch by in the process i'm positive i will have lots more questions and be asking for thoughts and advice. your help already has been incredible!
 
#16 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by mmgrimm View Post
Hi!! I am a mommy of 2 special needs boys and an Army wife going on 7 years...Plus I did some Army time myself! We are currently stationed at Fort Lewis and will be for who knows how long (well I guess the Army does). We have been stationed overseas (Italy and Germany), east coast (Belvoir and Drum) and the midwest (LeonardWood). The Army likes to move us every 18 to 24 months for some reason.
I am at Ft. Lewis too.

We are keeping busy here. I cannot believe I'm starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel WRT this deployment. Less than 3 months to go!!
 
#17 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by swell_mel View Post
i wanted to update you after asking so many questions. (which i can't thank you enough for your input!!) dh takes a test tuesday. the asvab i think? he's not signing up or anything yet. but he wants to take it to get an idea of what he would be doing should he join. we still have a lot of research to do before signing up and there are several men who have been in the military that he wants to talk to about their experiences and ask questions to. we still have talking to do. but after lots and lots and lots of talking, reading, asking questions, and praying i told him tonight that i support him 100% should he decide to join. it's scary and nerve-wracking but i feel good about it. i know it isn't guaranteed he will get in although i can't forsee there being any reason he wouldn't but you never know. in any case i really feel like we are supposed to pursue this... regardless of whether or not he gets in. i hope that makes sense. soooo... as we inch by in the process i'm positive i will have lots more questions and be asking for thoughts and advice. your help already has been incredible!

I am glad you seem to be a little more at ease with this decision (and also pleased you guys are not just jumping into this blindly, that's a bad choice!)

The ASVAB wont tell him what he will be doing but rather what choices of MOSs he qualifies for, which if there are openings in them (I think a lot more likely with Army than Marines to have openings) then he could choose those.

I do not know if Army is same as Marines (I was National Guard so my experience differs from other Army I am sure) but in Marines you can only choose a job field and they put you into a job that is needed. When I was in the Army NG 10 years ago, I was able to actually choose my MOS... and I believe my brother was able to choose his actual job earlier this year and he is going to be active Army but I am not 100% on that.

May I ask how old your husband is? I know that seems like it wouldnt matter, but I love hearing of the older men who finally join (and by older, even my little brother counts as he is 26 and one of the oldest at basic right now)
 
#21 ·
subbing to the new thread.

I'm Claire, my dh is AD Air Force, and we're stationed at Pope AFB which is adjacent to Ft. Bragg. Dh has been here almost 4 years now. We have one son who is 22 months old.

not much going on with us. we still don't know where we'll be headed next year when Pope closes, or when we'll be moving, which is frustrating since we're also still TTC-hoping to have a baby before we leave. Dh made it home from his 6 week course in TX, and ds has settled down a lot, he's back to his old self. It's taken us a couple of weeks to get back into a functioning routine though. Night time has been really hard with daddy back. Ds didn't want to give up the half of the bed he had taken over, but he also didnt much want to sleep in his own bed. Things are settling down now though.
 
#23 ·
I'm glad Joe is finally home Claire and that things are finally getting back to normal. I hope you hear something soon about where you're headed to.

Fireworks last night had the potential to be good but the cannon fire every 5 seconds during them was a bit overkill and obnoxious so we left pretty much as soon as they started.
 
#24 ·
DH is army, 23 years next month, we have been married 13 years and I was in the Air Force for 10 years.
We are up at Drum after several years in Korea.
 
#25 ·
Welcome 2ID_ Wife


I was doing so well today since saying goodbye to DH this morning.... that is, until after I got ds to sleep. Then I broke. Of course, I cant stop crying. I know a lot of it is pregnancy hormones, and I talked myself down once. Then, I went to change clothes, just to find a love note tucked in my top drawer from DH with his dog tags. Which of course, started it all again. I don't mean to be a downer here guys... I know it will get easier. I'm just trying to get in the groove of things. ds did great tonight, but i know it will take a few days for his behavior to change... just crossing my fingers for a somewhat easy transition. Being 37 weeks is whooping my butt with the whole dealing with emotions. Ugh.

Just needed to get that all out
 
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