Often times behind every great soldier, there is a great spouse. I have transformed the saying a bit to adjust it to our reality. Thank you for being here, thank you for being who you are, and for what you are doing. Every action, no matter how small, is important and sometimes can have a big impact on the functioning of our family and of course, the active military member. As Coretta Scott King said: ‘’The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”
Being a military spouse is often a thankless role in the shadows but we know how important this role is to our military community. No need to mention the countless challenges that occur due to constant relocations that shake up the quiet stability: living with the unknown and not being able to make long-term plans. Most of the time our friends and families are not envious of our frequent moves, except when it is for an OUTCAN assignment or when located in a beautiful environment. Some often underestimate, once again, the implications and the challenging sides that this entails, getting out of our comfort zone. How many spouses have had to leave a job? A job not only where they would achieve professional fulfillment, but also where they would feel valued outside their home, in a different role than the one of spouse, but rather as an individual? Some relocations lead us to redefine ourselves as individuals, sometimes redefine ourselves as professionals, redefine certain friendships, and redefine how to stay in touch with our family while being away, while life is happening. But surely, it has forced us to develop different skills like seeking a new network and becoming more social, independent, and adjusting to new environments.
We make sure that our people, our family members, do not lack for anything, and this often comes before our own needs. Thank you for being here, your presence is essential. Despite your devotion, please, do not forget to put your own oxygen mask on. I want to mention how important it is to take good care of yourself too. Assess and reassess your needs with the constant changes you are experiencing.
If you find yourself needing to speak with someone because you are experiencing a difficult time or require assistance for a family member, please visit our Family Mental Health webpage for various resources including the MFS US Family Counsellor and the Family Information Line (FIL) at 1-800-866-4546. You can have free individual counseling with one of them and they can guide you to the right resource. If your relationship is struggling or if you want to strengthen your bond with your partner, the Hold Me Tight Program Online may be right for you.
Thank you MilSpouses
