Being a military wife means a lot of things.
It means…
…you’re resilient.
…you’re someone’s spouse.
…you’re an integrated part of the military.
It’s a role not everyone can fill because it’s not an easy one to hold. The active duty journey military couples experience is unlike any other relationship. As a military wife, you learn to navigate through change quicker than most. You fully understand what it means to live a life that’s a bit dictated for you.
But you still discover how to make it your own, too.
Whether you’re always making new friends at the exchange or mailing off holiday cards to everyone in your spouse’s platoon, you embrace the military wife life.
Here we share in gifs what it’s really like to be a military wife.
Being a Military Wife Means…
You Make New Friends Wherever You Go
As a military wife, you learn to make friends rather quickly. You basically have friends in every corner of the U.S. Your friends are your family, especially when your spouse is deployed more often than not.
You’re Good at Letter Writing
Even if you’re not a fan of writing, you learn to love letter writing as a military wife. You may have even thought about buying stock in paper and pen companies since you purchase so much of it.
You Move A Ton
Just after you’ve started making friends and are finally getting settled, you get PCS orders…again. As a military spouse, it may feel like your full-time job is telling movers where to put your stuff. While you do move a lot, you also get to see a lot of really cool places, too.
You Say Goodbye A Lot
To your friends, to your spouse. You’ll say goodbye a lot. As a military wife, saying bye to beloved friends and duty stations is hard. But it gets easier the more you do it. It’s just see ya later, right? If you tell yourself that, it will make the moves (and deployments) a lot easier.
You Always Smile When You See Your Spouse in Uniform
How can you not smile at a man in uniform? No matter what branch, those uniforms will always look good on your spouse. Even when they’re covered in dirt or oil.
You Learn “Home” Is Where You’re Stationed
Home is where the heart is. As you move from place to place, you’ll discover it’s about how you frame your experience. Make friends, get out and explore, and create a cozy home you love to come home to every day.
You Discover New Levels of Resilience
The military will throw every challenge your way. Multiple moves, new rules, long deployments…you name it, you learn to dodge it. Doing so builds your resilience and strength, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. Keep going!
You Never Get Tired of Homecomings (Especially Surprise Ones)
Will you ever get tired of seeing your spouse coming home? Probably not. The memories of those bittersweet homecoming moments are what propel you forward in the long stretches you’re apart. You’ll never forget that first-time homecoming hug.
Being a Military Wife is Tough Yet Rewarding
The role of being a military wife doesn’t come lightly.
It means being supportive, loving, loyal, fierce, and reliable. While you know separation happens, no one can ever prepare you for the hole your spouse leaves in your heart when they’re on a mission.
And even though it’s tough, you probably wouldn’t have it any other way, right?
You get to stand next to an American hero and show your support and love day in and day out. There’s no better way to learn and grow as a couple than to thrive during your years spent together on active duty.
Without a doubt, your number one role is to be a supportive spouse. Along the way, it sometimes means playing the roles of two parents, keeper of the peace, home organizer, cheerleader, and beyond.
As a military wife, you hold the homefront fort down in more ways than one. Being a military wife means just being there, even when the journey isn’t always easy.
What does being a military wife mean to you?
