Real-Life Army Spouses
There are many misconceptions about Army spouse life, for example the image of a stoic wife waiting for her husband to return from battle, or the perky Stepford wife. Right from the start these images clash with reality - the term favored by the Army is "spouse," not "wife," a gender-neutral term that more accurately reflects today's military, where women serve in uniform alongside men. To be sure, the Army spouse of the 21st century shares much in common with her predecessors: waiting, uncertainty, and absence are constants of Army family life. What has changed is the way spouses deal with these constants. Modern technology presents Army spouses with unprecedented opportunities. Today's spouses can choose from a variety of online resources - www.myarmyonesource.com and www.cinchouse.com, for example - to stay informed about the military, their benefits as family members, and education and career opportunities.
Army Spouse Resources
Army spouse life is hard work, something which their civilian counterparts might not fully realize. There are a variety of courses and training available to Army spouses; none of the training is mandatory, but is often very helpful. Army Family Team Building (AFTB) is a set of courses spouses may take online or in person to educate themselves on various basic aspects of Army life: customs and traditions, military pay, and programs for families. Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) are among those programs intended to arm spouses against the slings and arrows of Army life.
The Army Family Readiness Group Leader's Handbook explains FRGs as entities designed to facilitate the share of information and support between a Soldier's unit and the unit's "extended family" (spouses, families, significant others, etc.). While participation is voluntary, the opportunity for official information from the Soldier's unit makes the FRG an invaluable resource for Army spouses. Despite the resources available to Army spouses, it does take effort to stay informed and prepared with a soldier in harm's way. Whether or not a spouse has a career (often difficult to achieve given the mobile Army lifestyle), a prepared and ready Army spouse has a full-time job.
The Benefits of Being an Army Spouse
Many Americans are aware that military family members are eligible for such benefits as free medical care and on-base housing, incentives which are necessary to maintain an all-volunteer force. What is not as often broadcast are the intangible benefits of belonging to the Army Family. A nomadic lifestyle and the relationships created by such avenues as the FRG create a network of friends worldwide upon which the Army spouse knows she can always rely. Shared hardships make for strong friendships.
While Army spouses today enjoy perhaps unprecedented national attention, and Americans understand and appreciate the sacrifice of family members, it is important for Americans to realize that Army spouses are not victims or perfect cookie-cutter wives. Real Army spouses know the challenges they face and take advantage of opportunities that allow them to adapt and overcome these obstacles.
Source:
The Army Family Readiness Group Leader's Handbook
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