The other night when we went to see a movie on base, I thought about how different base life is. And let me tell you, IT IS DIFFERENT Y'ALL! I mean, if I have to hear "I totally understand" one more time- I may just scream. Now, of course, all of this has yet an entirely different meaning when you are overseas. So, I realize this may or may not apply to every base. PS= The "you" referenced below will be a general (not General), non-military, stateside wife.
1. You see a movie whenever you want. I see a movie at the first available time because it may never show on base again. Oh, and I stand up for the National Anthem before my movie starts.
2. You shop where you want, wearing what you want. I have to be aware that I will be going to my husband's office to shop, and must plan accordingly.
3. You are a spouse, I am a dependent.
4. Your husband goes on business trips. My husband goes TDY.
5. You go to your local grocery store, I go to the Commissary and begrudgingly tip my mandatory bagger.
6. Your husband pushes paper, mine protects our freedom.
7. You worry about your husband on his commute. I worry about my husband going to the sandbox.
8. You know your husbands boss. I must know how to read rank and identify ALL the bosses.
9. The most common acronym your husband uses is NFL. Mine speaks entire sentences without uttering an actual non-acronymed word.
10. You decorate your home, I attempt to purchase things that could go in 10 different homes over the course of a career.
11. You take a vacation. We beg for leave, and buy insurance just in case.
12. You buy something you like. I buy 50 of the thing I like, knowing the BX/Commissary will never have it again.
13. You get weirded out seeing a gun. I think nothing of a man in the Burger King with an automatic weapon.
14. You drive home at 4:30. I can't drive at 4:30 without getting a ticket. Why? Well you have to stop for retreat and the anthem of course!
15. You feel flattered when they ask for your ID. I pull mine out before going into the restroom. I mean, you never know when they might ask for it...
16. You get excited about sales. I cry when given a military discount.
17. You know your husband's birthday. I know my husband's social security number better than my own.
What about the rest of you? Anything to add?
Now, please know, I am not in anyway complaining. I am so glad my husband has chosen to make this a career. I really do love the military life. It's just- different.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
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32 comments:
You plan a wedding and make sure there is insurance in case a vendor flakes. I plan a wedding and make sure there is insurance in case my husband gets deployment orders.
This is a good list, I particularly enjoyed the bit about the social security #. I barely remember what mine is anymore! After all, mine is irrelevant :)
well, i have NEVER claimed to understand: my best friend is an army wife who goes months at a time hubby-less while her husband (one of my my hubby's closest friends) leaves her and their 2 kids to go off and defend our country ... but i can say that while i know you have it rough, my family appreciates you very much and we thank you and hope to support you as much as we can.
i am so honored that you make those sacrifices daily-- even the small ones... you are appreciated.
so, in essence, THANK YOU!!
12. You buy something you like. I buy 50 of the thing I like, knowing the BX/Commissary will never have it again.
Love this one!! It is so the mentality of hte developping world. And woe to she who becomes complacent because your next visit to the shops will prove that your treasured item will be out of stock for the next year and a half.
I would add: You have a name and identity. I'm Mrs. Hubby recognized only after people have fawned over him and given a pitying smile when i explain who i am and what i do.
In other news: I'm going on my first Nile cruise next month and will be sure to report back how it was. I'm going on a movenpic boat. The other popular company is called "Presidential." Both of these are less expensive than some of the more Euro-geared companies but you still get to visit all the same places. I'll tell you how mine goes in January! :) I'd love to meet up for coffee or something while you're here if you have the chance!! :)
Also - You have a husband. I have a sponsor.
Living on base brings all new meaning to "gated community."
It totally irks me when people say they understand. NO YOU DON'T!
It's a totally different world.
I love your list! I had to find out most things on here the hard way, i.e. without husband around. We live off post so I knew nothing about retreat and I barely now how to read rank even now! Little details the hubs chose not to share with me. I'm still learning!
Oh, and I mostly hang out at the AF base here since post is 75 miles away. They have self checkout lanes, 30 items or less, at their commissary and I take full advantage of those! :)
Here's one to add:
You can go where ever you want for vacation. We have to put in for a pass way in advance if our destination is outside the approved radius from post.
I totally LOL at the acronym, cause I sure still don't understand half of what the heck they are talking about, in meeting.
What about the "welcome spouse" meeting on base when you get there. Did you also got the Briefing from Commander's wife about not mixing with non officer? I hated that one, I am not sure if this is still up, but when we were last Stationed on base I had that!
Love the identifying all the bosses, cause that sure is thrue!
Oh and the We sure support the Trops, but why the H... is your husband in the sandbox since we shouldn't be there anyway?
did anyone got that one? I was like: "Oh well thank you for the support!!"
Very good list. Very.
PS Good luck with the application. Sending positive thoughts your way!
Your list is too funny. I have some for you.
You go on a romantic honeymoon to a beautiful resort in the DR the and get to meet new people. I go to same resort and have to lie to everyone about what your husband does for a living.... to everyone even Americans.
You stay up late and enjoy meaningful conversaton with your husband. I run through EP's on flash cards and understand how everything that could go wrong in a jet.
Your husband doesn't want to tell you what he's up to, my husband can't... its classified.
I love it!!!
I totally don´t understand your life, but now I have a little more insight than I did....
SO true, so true. I honestly am having trouble thinking of my own SS# at this very second.
Hilarious list :)
O.M.G. Okay, I am soooo gonna link to you and steal this post. This was FANTASTIC. Yep. Awesome. LOVE IT.
I love your list/post!
We somewhat understand your lifestyle as we're State Dept., living overseas and working out of the fishbowl of the Embassy. This is our first post w/o military personnel and boy does it feel odd!
My husband's best advice for me when we left for our first post is to remain Switzerland... stay neutral and never reveal how you really feel about someone or something - it will definitely come back to haunt you.
Kudos to you. I could never be a military wife. I am a firm believer in the wives (spouses, sorry) needing their decompression time too, and think it is an awful thing that the spouse is left with jobs and kids and houses and activities and no one thinks anything of all that THEY are also sacrificing.
And the part about you being a dependent more so than wife? Ugh. That is so not nice.
I don't do ranks or self-important people, which is what I think of ranking in general. My husband, while not being military, is a firefighter, which is considered 'paramilitary'. It's enough to make me throw up. lol
I have something to add to the SSN one: I also know my husband's blood type, because it is printed on most of his clothes. I remember having this surreal moment a few years back when my husband and his friend were talking shop at our dinner table and I realized that their blood type was on their shirts because a medic would need to know it if they were dying. Not normally something wives have to think about at the dinner table.
Wow, this is crazy... I don't think I've ever even pretended to understand but I definitely don't. I have several friends who are military wives. A lot of people don't realize how many sacrifices military wives have to make for our country, too. I am in awe.
[in response to your comment]
Yep! Will used to live in Garm. and went skiing all the time, in Switzerland too. I can not wait to do everything he told me about:)
You have a cute blog! It's very fun to read. That is a really good list and quite funny!
I love the SSN and the acronym one!!!! LOL
additions -
1. When hubby is deployed or just TDY, the little ones call any man on base in uniform "Daddy". They do out grow it, but it is kinda sad when it happens on a daily basis.
2. When you don't have a clue where you husband is, what he is doing, or when he will be back when TDY
3. When hubby calls you and tells you I won't be calling for a few days because I am switching duties for a day or so. You find out later that means he srapped on his guns and went into hostile territory for a "few days" and didn't want to worry you.
4. I get a personal phone call from hubby, in theater, when Sadaam was captured (not immediately), and I personally know the guy who filmed the capture.
5. I love it when he comes home from anywhere!
6. I had my baby in an Army/Air Force Hospital where over half of the expecting Mommies gave birth to their babies while their husbands were deployed.
Man, I could go on. I love him, I love my life and I am thankful. I love my militay wife friends.
Too funny - and SO SO true.
If I weren't about to fall off of the couch from exhaustion (just got in from Munich) I'd try to come up with some more...but your list is pretty thorough :)
What a great list! The acronyms drive me crazy. I seriously don't want to know. We have been married for 21 years, my husband has been military for 28 years. Early in our marriage, I told him to speak English to me. I don't speak military! I will learn Japanese, German, Italian, whatever, but not acronym-ese. Give me a small break inside my home! :D Luckily, my husband is a sweetheart and leaves the military at work. Thank you, God! Love your blog! :D
About the retreat thing...yeah I had no idea about that since they don't do it on any of our bases here...but I was on another one recently on the other side of Germany and they all stopped and I was like WHY WON'T THIS CAR IN FRONT OF ME GO!?!? So I tried to go around him and he laid on his horn...I was clueless. Luckily I had a fellow military wife with me who clued in and realized it was retreat time. oops!!!! (p.s. why don't they do it on our bases? or if they do, why is it not enforced?)
oh! i love it! don't forget.... if your "sponsor" isn't lucky enough to have his own office, when you call him, you have to ask for him by Rank and Last Name!
(i really enjoy your blog!)
Ahhh, hahahahaha =). I love it. I too, forget my own social. . . .
1. I don't see a movie whenever I want. I can't remember the last movie I saw in the theater.
2. I shop wherever is easy and close, between naps. Last time I shopped at my prefered store- bought you a present.
3. I am also a dependent, says the IRS.
5. I go to Walmart, in a hick town. It's scary.
8. I don't know my husband's boss. I've don't know co-workers either.
9. I'm also on the track of buying things that work in many homes :) I've been in this house 9 months and yet you have more decorating done at your house than I do at mine.
11. You travel to amazing coutries on those "leaves" you get. The only other country I've been to was for your wedding.
17. I know my husbands social better than my own. I have to know it for all the insurance papers I fill out every time we go to a doctor.
Just thought you should see it from this side a little :)
My husband has been here for as many birthdays as he has missed because of TDY's, training, deployments, etc. Oh-and missed anniversaries also.
I forgot my ID a few days ago and was asked for my SS# to get a temporary pass-I was shocked! Nobody EVER asks me.
In regards to Anne's comment about the "no-mixing" suggestion. I can see how that applies to the military member, but spouses....come 'on! Just my opinion.
Hello Casey,
I'm a UMSC wife waving to you from NC! I'm so happy
I found your adorably witty blog.
Lucky you and all your upcoming travels.
How exciting! ~Enjoy. :)
If you have a moment to stop by my new blog please know you're always welcome.
Have a fabulous weekend!
~Warmly, Melissa :)
New one for me. My kid came in the other day and asked if the NEXT PLACE WE LIVE can there be snow. Bless her military brat heart.
Amanda
I LOVED this! I can relate to almost all of them.
What about
18. Your husband kisses your baby goodbye and goes to work for 8 hours. My husband kissed his son goodbye and left for a year knowing he would only see him grow up in pictures.
Great list!
What number are you up to now?
#whatever: You call it "summer vacation"--we call it "PCS season." And know that it's the best/worst time to buy/sell a used car, excess furniture, and transformers.
Then there's the Christmas ball with evening gowns, dress uniforms, and esoteric rituals.
And promotion ceremonies with the requisite party (which ends up costing more than the attendant raise).
Hail and Farewell dinners when someone arrives at or leaves a unit.
So, I realize I'm a little late to this...but I just found your blog -and have been reading your back posts for a good 20 minutes. How about this one:
Your husband and you are able to plan your vacations at the same time...my husband works for 365 days straight and then has 30 days off...seriously?!?!
Or - when someone says "I completely understand what you are going through, my husband travels twice a month for work" Really...because my husband would love twice a month travel, as that would mean he got to come home!
I so have to finish reading the comments when I have more time but I wanted to say... the crying one? I cry EVERY time someone thanks me for my husband's service. Also the comment about not wanting to tell you vs. not being able to tell you because it's classified. We don't have dinner talk at home here. It sounds something like this:
Me:How was work?
Him: Good. I did stuff.
Him:How was your day?
Me:(Once I begin counseling) Good. I talked to people.
*twiddle thumbs and talk about the weather*
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