What is it like to be a Military wife?

Question

My husband and I have been married for 4 years and have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy, who turns two next month. We live in a very small retirement town and work dead end jobs. So my husband had decided to join the Military, He says it is to better our lives, But I am not so sure about that. I will support him in what ever he decides, But I am scared out of my mind! I know we will make more money, have better medical, and be able to travel. But I am such a home body and I have always lived so close to my family. The thought of moving into unknow territory really scares me. What is it like being a Military wife? What is it like to live on a Military base? Anything would be very helpful. Thank you

Answer 1

Well first, don't expect to make alot of money in the military either. Unfortunately, many families new to the military can file for food stamps.

I'm going to be honest with you. It's a very hard life. Yes, there's "free" medical, but it's not always the best. He'll be doing alot more traveling than you will. You won't be close to your family. At times, it'll only be you, your son and hubby. However, the military is a family of its own. I can understand you're scared. But don't be....just be cautious.

What you will have.....medical, future retirement, help with utilities or free housing if you live on post, and they'll pay for his meals. You will have to pay dental insurance. You'll have to spend alot of time apart. He'll probably go to Iraq depending on which branch he joins. You'll get to see places you never imagined. You'll get new friends that you'll keep in touch with forever. You'll meet lots of people who will pop in and out of your life as you change duty stations. You'll get a whole new family....the military family. There's lots of aid and service agencies for military.

For every bad point there's a good point. It really is a hard life, but it's a good life. You'll grow stronger and more independent. You'll find something within that you didn't know was there. There's so much honor and pride in being a military wife. There's nothing like it in the world. The day they step off a plane returning from war. The day they graduate or get promoted. What an awesome experience.

Talk to him about it. Often. Weigh all the choices. Be ready to sacrafice alot. In that sacrafice though, you'll gain much.

Good luck and God bless!!

Answer 2

Being A Military Wife

Answer 3

I think a lot of military wives go through hell when there husbands have to go "out to sea".They have to learn to stick together and to make the time fly by.I've only been a military wife for a year now but I have learned from other wives that the "sea life" is the toughest part.Sometimes they leave for 2 weeks and sometimes 6 months.I think if once you become a military wife things will be easier for you when you find other people in similar situations as you.There are always new wives coming into the military world so there will always be someone to talk too.They also have off base housing and programs for young children called "play groups" which allow mothers to get to know other military mother's in the area.It really all depends on the service that your husband decied's to join...not all are the same.I'm talking about the navy life myself....Either way you will be alright,God will bless you with the strength and wisdom that you may need! And you won't have to worry about your husband having a dead end job.But being a salior and a navy wife is hard work.

Answer 4

A lot depends on if he is enlisted or officer, and which branch he joins - Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines (or Coast Guard).

If he has a college degree, he might be able to join as an officer, which would be a lot better for both of you in terms of pay, benefits, and lifestyle.

If he has to start out enlisted, he should take the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test) and review the results. If he scores high enough, he should negotiate to get special training.

The Army and the Marines are arguably more dangerous branches of service these days with the war in Iraq.

The Navy might be a fit, depending on his interests - the hardship there is that he will almost assuredly be assigned to a ship, and you will have to deal with long absences of 6 months and more.

The Air Force might be the most comfortable of the services; however, advancement and promotion for enlisted personnel is usually slower.

The Coast Guard is another option to consider.

His best bet is probably to look at his ASVAB scores, talk to recruiters of each branch, focus on his interest, and negotiate the best school that he can.

You might be looking at living in base housing, and moving every 2 or 3 years.

The medical benefits are nice, as is the retirement possibility. The opportunity to travel around the world is a great benefit to a lot of people.

There are numerous amounts of opportunities in the military, and it's definitely not a dead end job.

Answer 5

well being a military wife. i can tell you this. you will be alone alot. i am. the pay is great but the hours they put in suck. i live in base housing but not on base. its pretty good. the apartment is good size. think of moving somewhere new as an adventure, you will make friends. what branch does he want to join. the navy has the shortest deployments only 6 months at a time. it is hard to go to bed alone at night and not know if hes safe and ok. emails come but not often. cant be helped and you cnt get phones calls. when they are home its not so bad. there duty every so many days. it differs for each branch im a navy wife of 4 years and a mom to a 3 year old boy . hubbby is currently deployed good luck im here if you want to chat more on this

Answer 6

It probably depends on which branch of the military he goes into and what job he gets. My husband is a flyer in the USAF and is gone a lot. We were married when I was in the AF also, I had a different flying job, so I knew what to expect but its still pretty hard. Being away from home was never a problem for me but now that we're thinking about starting a family Id really like to be closer to my mom. Thankfully he can transfer to a base by our families. If you get the option to live off base I would. On base housing is often old and rundown. He'll get an allowance in his paycheck to help cover living expenses, ours covers rent, utilities and one of our car payments. The 'no rent' at base housing is often a reason many people move in but I think you lose money I the long run and like I said the houses are usually dilapidated. His job and commitment to his branch of service will definitely wear on your marriage and your family but if you focus on your marriage and remember that hes doing this to create a better life for all of you its not that bad.

Answer 7

Being a military wife is hard. You never know what's going to happen with your hubby. Living on base is nice but where I am sucks because our housing doesn't listen to me I have to wait for my hubby to get home. The insurance is good though. I honestly believe we are different kind of person since we are military wives. It's like they say (for the Army at least) Army Wife Toughest Job in the Army! Good luck and I hope for the best for you both and your baby!

Answer 8

Being An Army Wife

Answer 9

I have been in your shoes!! Before my husband joined, I had lived in the same house with my family my whole life. It is scary at first. However, you will get out of it what you put into it. I did not think I would be able to live without my family nearby. It turns out that I was a lot stronger and more independent than I really knew. If you can live on base, do it. The housing stinks, but the community is great. You need to find a couple of good friends. The other wives will be a great support network. Even after transferring to another base, I still have contact with some of the wives. You will find that no one will understand what you are going through better than them!! It has challenges, but you can get through it. Good luck!

Answer 10

it's ok for a few reasons. (ex military and wife). first, he has to join the right branch and honestly, now is not the right time cause of the pres. (meaning he may go overseas once he finishes basic training). then there is his base assignment. he gets to pick ten that he wants to be stationed to but you never know what he'll get. the pay is ok and again, depending on the branch, there is more money involved for being married and having children. medical is great and the traveling is ok, but traveling is not always gonna happen for family. but overall,it's a good thing. my sister is a military wife now and right now it's hard for her cause he has to go to korea for a year. they have two children and pregnant now. so you can kinda go on that.hope that helps and you can email me if you need more info. good luck on the decision.