This seems strange to even myself that I'm beginning this blog. Maybe because I don't think anyone is ever going to read it, and maybe because its like writing down my own inner monologue. Through this decision process though, I have found limited resources for men and women looking to find out more information on what they have to go through when becoming a military spouse. These findings become increasingly scarce when you type 'NAVY' in the search engine, and any reference towards Seabee wives comes back to you with the dreaded reprimand of 'no results found'. I suppose what I'm doing is documenting all of my experiences so that down the road when some other spouse is looking to find out what is going to happen to their lifestyle after their significant other joins the Military, they won't feel so alone.
I know at first this is all going to me rambling nonsense, and I'm sure veteran military spouse's (if they ever come across this) will laugh and josh at my expense. They'll find me incredibly naïve, and forget that they once were new to this too. However, if just one of us 'newbies' finds this and gains some sort of insight and sense of control over their situation then I will have felt fulfilled.
I'll start from the beginning, since every story has a beginning and without a beginning there can be no excitement or major triumphs. I was born in 1993 in a small town in western NY. No not NY city, the more obscure and falsely southern-like country far from the metropolitan areas and cute suburban households. My husband was also born in the same area in 1991. As vast as my genealogy runs across this area, strangely enough we weren't any blood or married relation. A fact I'm happy to share as I have yet to travel anywhere in this or surrounding counties and not meet someone who is so and so's mother, brother, sister, daughter, etc.
We dated in high school, Had children fast, got married young and made our way to the big bad world. Soon though we felt the effects of our slow moving NY state economy. Jobs are scarce, and good ones don't exist. Both of us wanted school, me more than he maybe, but it just wasn't an option. So here we are now. On the brink of financial ruin. We're no longer running on fumes, we now have to push this 'car'. What is it that people from anywhere in Rural USA do to get back in control?? They join the U.S. Military. Anyone who knows me, knows that there is no one more against the military than I. I can already feel the hate mail pouring in, but its true. I actually did projects in high school on the covering up of improper practices with homosexuals serving in the military. I had a brother who served in Iraq. I had seen what that life did to people, after all my brother left a fun loving joker and returned as an unrecognizable ball full of anger and PTSD. I vowed to myself that the military would never be a part of my life. yet here I am writing a blog on becoming a Navy Wife.
Its like that inspirational movie The Secret, they say even if you don't want something, if you think about it enough the universe will bring it right to your front door.
Officially I'm not a Military wife yet, but my husband is in the sign up process right now. Studying for his ASVAB, training his body to be superhuman, and praying everything works out smoothly and quickly. Anyone who has ever become a military spouse after already being married for some time can relate that this waiting process and uncertainty is incredibly annoying. You know in your mind that anything that has to do with the government is going to take time, yet every time a test date gets pushed back your still surprised. The fact that your married life could change tomorrow and the fact that your looking forward to his passing a test, since that means the government will be removing him from your home for 2-3 months is absolutely absurd. The whole ideal of Military life is strange and irrational, why would anyone decide to put themselves in danger and remove themselves from their families?
Oh Uncle Sam, if only I too could learn your ways of persuasion!
I can only hope that everything goes smoothly with his test tomorrow, because then this blog will be for nothing. Until then, I'll just go back to the search engines and try finding more nonexistent info. =) -Elaine
