One of my secrets: I don't feel like a real Marine wife.
Why, you ask?
Well ...
I met Drew after he had come home from a deployment to Iraq, and a mere 30 days before he started school for Recruiting Duty. (and by "after" ... I think it was 6+ months after)
So ... I've never done a MEU or a deployment, and I'm probably going to feel pretty stupid if I'm pushing 30 and have never gone through a deployment with him. Not that there's anything wrong with being unsure of the process ... but I really don't want to be in the same category as a "young wife". And you seasoned wives know exactly what I'm talking about ...
And then ... we moved here ... and it's not really a military town.
No base housing.
Not that much fraternization with other wives etc.
I don't think I deal with that much "bull shit" related to the USMC (a blessing, methinks). Even the runaround with the next PCS isn't even driving me nuts ... just frustratingly antsy.
I may have the dependent ID, but I don't feel like I'm having the same military wifey experience.
Besides: how often is it that your in-laws are your neighbors? At one point, we could throw a rock from our back window and hit their back porch. Yeah. THAT close. In what world is THAT supposed to be part of the "MilSpouse Life" ??
This made me laugh. :) I felt the same way a lot- I met my husband while he was on leave, waited four months for him to get back from Afghanistan, and then settled into a normal life with him. He was in the National Guard, so it wasn't a huge military experience most days. You're still legit! :)
ReplyDeleteI can completely agree, I met my husband when he was a Drill Sgt (he's Army), so for the first 2 years he was non deployable. I was a drill sgt wife and that's it. I felt so disconnected to the military and most of the wives I knew were other drill sgt wives.
ReplyDeleteWe are now at another duty station, preparing for deployment. My first his fourth.. I'm not a newly wed anymore, but having this deployment coming up is making me nuts...
It's part of the military life, going through all the stages. Each experience as a military wife is what gives you the definition...
Your still a military wife theres no doubt about it.
when DH and i were gearing up for his deployment i felt like "young wife", even though Im month shy of being 30. everybody would ask, "is this your first deployment?" and I would say and then they would look at me with this pitiful-sad face and say "oh". i hated that. i don't wish that on anybody and i wouldn't do that to anybody. i know how i felt, why would i want to make somebody else feel that way.
ReplyDeletedont feel as you have to go through deployments, base housing and all that to be a "legit" marine wife. you are one no matter what. remember, there are not rules to being a real military wife.
I'm with ya, never been through a deployment AND hubby is in a non-deployable squadron. But I like it...we get all the benefits of the USMC and I still get him home for dinner every night :)
ReplyDeleteConsider yourself lucky. :) I wish I had never done any deployments. My life would have been so much easier.
ReplyDelete