Military Life

So, many of you are not military and I should like to help you understand a bit better than I've done previously.
1. When Jim's phone rings, he HAS to answer it.
Okay, so sometimes people just don't want to answer their phone calls. Well, we don't have that option. No, Jim has to answer every phone call and if he misses one, he has to call it back. Now, these phone calls don't just last one or two minutes...no, usually they last about ten minutes and they include the fact that he has to go in earlier or later the next day. They typically occur right at the dinner table so that means that supper has chilled by the time we actually eat, but that is okay, at least we eat! Oh, and when one soldier of the group gets a DUI all of the soldiers in the group pay for it. They all go in to work earlier and receive a lecture on the drinking and driving stuff.
2. How long is his work day?
Usually Jim works a 5:00 to 5:00 day and then goes to the gym. So, that means we get up about 4:30am and get him ready to go; then he most-the-time gets to come home for breakfast at 8am, lunch at 11:30am, then home at 6:30-7pm. Now, this may seem nice, but only because we live on post. If we didn't live five minutes away from work, he would not be able to work this. This is partially why we have trouble operating with only one vehicle. This is partially why I could not work. Because the work hours are so wierd that no day is ever the same. With Jim's leadership role, he has to run other soldiers around to accomplish their work for that day. Consider the other military families who do not live on post...
3. When Jim gets off of work...Does Jim ever really get off of work?
When Jim gets a day off of work, he still has to answer those telephone calls, or go in if someone gets into trouble. Every day we wonder if he will have to go into work for some reason. It is similar to a doctor...never off of work.
4. When Jim has a four-day weekend, he has a radius.
Unlike other families that can just leave for a weekend and go home, we cannot. We have to stay within like 150 miles (I think) of our duty station and since it's a 14hr drive home...I don't think that's within the regulation range. So, we are confined to a space with no immediate family. If you are wondering, that is why we do not make it home very often! We usually try to go home every six months or so. It does get exhausting when you can't just leave and disappear for a few days. They always have to know where we are, what we're doing, or how we're spending the weekend. So, the Army pretty much owns Jim and I.
5. When Jim deploys, I wear the pants...ALL THE TIME.
Wrote this the other day:
HA, I've got a story for ya...Today I found this out very clearly. I am in control of everything. You see, I do not like this part. This means that I have to change a tire if it's flat, or in the case today, change a break light. Not what I needed right now. Jim left two weeks ago today so I'm still trying to figure things out...and then this goes wrong. Not only this, but my finals in my classes coming up that I'm completely and entirely absorbed with right now, my dog hadn't peed in four hours, and I'm trying to get two full boxes into the mail for Jim. So, I started to take the light cover thingy off...found out that the little flat thingy that goes under the screw cover thingy was broken. Then found out that the screw cover thingy was stripped out and that I had no light bulb. So, I threw my tools in the back of the car and drove to AutoZone. The nice check-out man came outside to take a peek and by the time he came out with the correct screwdriver, I already had it off and ready for him to pick out the correct bulb. So, I followed him inside where there was a huge line of men staring at me like I was a stupid woman that didn't know what I was doing in a car store. So I played the "my husband is deployed" card and got just what I wanted! Ladies...that's how ya do it. I got that light done within five minutes and was back home to let my puppy out in no time! Just short of that, I'd had a good day. I did get to talk to Jim today and he did sound rather well...very tired...but taking in the fact that I was talking to him at 2:38am his time. Anyways...got that done...AND wore the pants! So, today I've come to the distinct realization that I'm the only one who can help myself. I need to take a car class, a house-repair class, and a doggy-training class. I'm actually thinking about doing that, the doggy-training class, that is. They offer those at Petsmart for like $109 for eight weeks. Lately I've been spending more time outside teaching Shoot more tricks and he is just learning so fast! I'm excited about that!
6. Choppers
No, I think you've got the wrong idea...I'm not talking about salad choppers or "as seen on tv" products; I'm talking about gigantic machines they put in the air and transport large military secrets. Now, I'm sure we've always heard a plane or chopper overhead before so I won't go into to much detail. I will mention though, it shakes our house and thunders so bad that it startles Shooter into tomorrow when he is napping. He acts like the world is falling apart around him until he runs outside and locates the loud-abnoxious flapping. It pains me to say that this process happens about thirty times per day. Absolutely not an exaggeration, you know what I'm talking about if you live near an airport or military base. No matter how annoying, even after nine months of living here, I am only just now getting used to it. I no longer duck when the house shakes - that is a good thing.
7. So you think you can plan.
I do think that you should know also that it is painful to even think about starting a family because there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to deployments or even changing duty stations. You can't just decide when you want to have children. It comes in deciding whether to try when we see each other next or determine whether we want to wait for the next year. One situation in particular. If we were to get pregnant now, Jim would not be home for the birth. If we were to get pregnant in six months, Jim would be home for the last couple of months of the pregnancy then he's off at special forces selection. OR, we could just wait and try when he gets home, but then he'll most likely be gone for the first year of the baby's life. So...that is a little peek at what we go through...planning...There is NO POSSIBLE WAY. So, I have to pray. Now, I don't want to frightening any loved ones reading this, so take it easy, we are not trying right now...that was just an example.
Not only is baby planning impossible but so is wedding planning, vacation planning, planning to move to a new duty station, planning on Christmas or any other special holiday...
Life has been altered, but I think that is why God sealed us together so early. This is just the reason God blessed us with finding our love at such a young age. Since this is the only thing we've really ever known as a married couple I think adaptation has come more easily. If you think of the other older military families, this may be more difficult and add to marital issues later on. Life is so hectic in any situation, add pets, children, and activities to it and you've got everyday chaos. But, at least we are healthy, happy, and employed. I do not know where we'd be without the military. I think that it has opened up our eyes to the opportunities for Jim to advance with and I've been able to finish school, so no matter how awful a deployment can feel or how far apart we are, we are still blessed with so much.

A side note (only it's at the bottom):
I challenge you if you think you're life is difficult, think again. I thought mine was difficult, and then Chile and Haiti happened.