The Modern Military Relationship

Recently, I came across a post on one of my favorite blogs, A Semi-Delicate Balance. The post discusses the many ways in which the modern military spouse is changing the game, along with the introduction of the book: Modern Military Spouse: The Ultimate Military Life Guide for New Spouses and Significant Others by J.D Collins, Lauren Tamm, and Jo’ My Gosh! (You can check out her actual post here!)

It really got me thinking about how far we’ve come, and all the admirable military spouses and significant others I cross paths with everyday. It touched upon all the different ways that we have evolved and adapted over time, and what’s next for our lifestyle. Here are the ways I believe we are “changing the game”:

We are Resourceful:

From the F.R.G. to the many fundraisers and events that have been established by military spouses/families, we have created a community that stretches far and wide. We have reached out to each other, and everyone around us, to support a cause that’s much greater than ourselves. I feel like no matter where I go, there is someone who understands the struggles and hardships on the same level that I do. And there is no better resource than the people you surround yourself with.

We are Independent:

Year-long deployment? No problem. PCS 5,000 miles? Done deal. All around me I see strong individuals who don’t have their hand out, waiting for someone to cut them a break. I see people who have learned how to adapt, and in turn, I have adapted within my own military relationship. We learn not to rely on our significant other to do everything, because we know that when they’re gone, that falls back on us. So we remain independent, and learn how to balance our ever-changing scenery.

We roll with the punches:

One thing that will not get you anywhere in this lifestyle is negativity. So we just learn to roll with it, because life doesn’t owe us a damn thing.

We have dreams too:

And we don’t let go of them. Your dreams don’t need to be put on the back burner because you don’t know where you’ll be in 3 years. We know how to plan and prioritize, and slowly but surely we will reach our goals.

We are Inventive

We are constantly looking for a new way to better our lives, and the lives of those around us. Whether it’s within our own homes, on post, or through a broadcast that reaches  the whole country, we are always searching. The new book that I discussed above is a perfect example of this.

We stand up for ourselves, and each other:

Yes, we chose this life, this person, this love. I can name a handful of people who love to remind me of that. We chose sacrifice. There is absolutely no one who knows that better than the person in it. There are always going to be bad, judgmental people in the world, and the military is not excused of that.

But many of the people I’ve met in the last 2.5 years have understood me on a level that no one had before. They have become like family to me, and to many others, because they share that same sacrifice. They fear the same things that we all do. So like any family, we will always stand by each other, no matter how you choose to label us tomorrow.

As a modern military spouse or significant other, how do you feel we are “changing the game”?