Military Spouse Day

 

Today is Military Spouse Day!

As a Military Brat I saw what my Mom (a Military Spouse) had to deal with.

She was always being judged (by the Military, by Soldiers and my other Military Wives) and what she did or didn’t do impacted our life on Base as well as my Dad’s Promotions.

My Family was one of the first Military Families allowed in South Korea in the 1970s (before Soldiers came without their Families who stayed back in the US.)

My Mom too care of my 1 year old  Brother and later was pregnant and had my Sister while over there.

The US Bases in South Korea didn’t have Base Housing for Families so they lived in a South Korean Apartment.

My Mom worked to get services and programs for American Women and Children set-up in South Korea.

South Korea at the time was very dangerous.

There was a South Korean Government Coup while they lived there and my Mom told me that there was shooting from each side over there apartment building.

The North Koreas were also trying to infiltrate South Korea through tunnels.

My Mom had a map of the Korean Peninsula with different routes mapped out on it in case the North Koreans invaded again.

My Dad would have to help fight against the Communists and my Mom, brother and Sister would be left on their own.

She would have to make it as far south as she could and get a boat to take them to Japan and safety.

The other Military Wives said they would just wait to be told what to do, by the US Military, if the North Koreans invaded.

While in South Korea my Mom had to constantly deal with raising her Family, making something for herself and the threat of Coups and Wars.

My Family also lived in West Germany in the 1980s.

While over there my Mom went back to get her University Degree in Computers (while my Brother and Sister went to school full-time and I went to Kindergarten for half the day.)

As a Military Wife she was “expected” to not work or study.

Her “job” was supposed to be raising her Children and promoting her Husband to others on Base.

She regularly spoke her mind against this and it got her into some trouble, but in the end she got her Degree and raised a Family.

In the 1980s East Germany and the Soviet Union regularly prepared to invade West Germany.

My Mom had a map of Europe and a bag packed in case the Communists attacked.

My Dad would have to go and fight them while my Mom (with my Brother, Sister, Me and out Dog) would have to make it to safety.

The other Military Wives said they would just wait to be told what to do by the US Military, if the East Germans and the Soviets invaded.

In 1986 the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster happened. My Mom and us Kids were on a plane ready to be evacuated to the US when the Military cancelled the evacuation so the West Germans wouldn’t be scared.

Even back in the States my Mom had to fight Officers, Soldiers, their Wives etc. on how a Military Wife should and should not be.

I remember being in line at the Commissary several times. There was 1 main line and from that you were supposed to wait to be called by the next available Cashier.

My Mom thought it was dumb to have to wait when you could see which Cashier was available and she would get scolded by the Cashiers as well as the other Military Wives (for thinking for herself.)

My Mom stood her ground and Military Wives today have it much easier than she did.