Courage, strength, sacrifice, service to country before self. What do all of these words and phrases have in common? Many people would automatically say that they are describing the American soldier. And while that is true, they are not the only ones that those words describe. The spouses and children of the American soldier must be courageous, have emotional and mental strength like no other, be willing to sacrifice anything at a moments notice and have a love for their country that is unparalleled.
You may be asking yourself, why? Why are they special and why should we honor them? Beyond the obvious, let me explain to you why these individuals are just as important to your freedom as their camouflage wearing counterparts.
What They Give Up
Ask any military spouse what they give up to be with their partner and they will be quick to point out that they get more in return than they give. But to the rest of the world we may not see it the same way. First, when you marry into the military, your life is no longer your own. Whether it be giving up that dream home they always wanted and in return living on base, military spouses make sacrifices at every turn.
This is where personal experience comes in. No, I have not served in the military and neither has my spouse. But I have several friends who are married to amazing men who are serving or have served in one of the branches of the military. I have seen so many of these sacrifices and remain in awe every single day of my selfless friends. I watched several move from one end of the country to another or even move out of the country depending on where their spouse has been stationed. Each time they clean, organize and pack their life into boxes and follow their soldiers to their next destination.
Moving isn’t the only sacrifice that these spouses and their children make. They will go through deployments. This means that they may go 6 months to a year or even longer being a “married single parent”. And while doing so, they will put on that brave face. Missed birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays are all a part of being a military family member. But it is something they will all gladly do any time they are asked.
Not Knowing if Their Soldier Will Return
Along with deployments, there is always that silent fear that their soldiers will not make it home. As can be seen by the pictures I’ve included, these amazing women and their children, thankfully, all have their heroes home with them. That can’t be said for all military families. I have watched other family friends lose their soldier during deployment. And although it does not make it any easier if it happens, they will each tell you that they know that this could be a very real reality for them.
How Can you Honor These Unsung Heroes?
So how do we honor these brave women and men, as well as their children? First and foremost, tell them THANK YOU for their service when you tell their spouse. As noted on Military.com, they are the “backbone of the military”. Other ways to honor military families can include:
- Offer to make a meal for them
- Lend a listening ear to allow them time to talk
- Visit Blue Star Families and sign up to be a “neighbor”. This allows you to know specific needs that you can help with.
- Offer a night of free babysitting
Other ideas can be found on Carey Lohrenz’ Be Fearless.
Do you know a military family that you would like to say thank you to? Or are you in the military and want to give a shout out to your spouse? Drop your thoughts in the comments section below.
