Military Life

I have been in military all of my life.  I grew up seeing uniforms of every color and every branch from Army, Navy, and Air Force.  Grandpas on both sides serving Army and Navy, and then my own Dad served the Air Force.  Not to mention the slew of uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends who later joined one branch of service or another.  So, growing up I saw the lifestyle my mom led, being an officer's wife, most days raising three kids solo.  I grew up thinking, "I'll never marry military!" As the old saying goes, "Never say never"  I dated some military and ended up marrying a military man.  So I was destined to go from military 'brat' to military wife.

I hold so much pride for all of our service men and women, especially my own husband, that I rather enjoy the lifestyle.  So, after my husband went from Infantry to Aviation, I was even more proud of my husband for  training to become a helicopter pilot.  He no longer would be jumping out of aircrafts, but rather flying an aircraft. So learning aviation lingo and other things in the aviation unit of the Army has been rather exciting, yet exhausting.  The pilot Hubby is going through training of his own, while I am going through training of being a first time mom, going solo! It takes a strong woman to be a military wife!  I can't say it enough.

On any number of  trips through Ft.Rucker base, I pass by Lowe Airfield where the Blackhawks are grounded.  It didn't have much significance to me until the hubby found out he would be flying Blackhawks.  Now as I pass by the Lowe Airfield, I have to smile, looking at the line of Blackhawks. I can say, "Yes, my husband flies those."  It fills me with so much pride and joy knowing he is training to fly these aircrafts.  It also makes me realize how much a family sacrifices for a pilot in training.  I know my soldier sacrificed a lot with three tours to Iraq and one with a 15 month length, but now my pilot sacrifices a lot just training and studying his aircraft to become a pilot.  The family sacrifices more long absences and long training months.

I will always be proud of my husband for his dedication and service, once on the ground, and now in the air.  But, I must always be strong for both of us.  It's not easy being married to military.  I got a text from a friend today about a Oh-58D (Kiowa) helicopter crash that happened last night, killing the Instructor Pilot and injuring the student pilot.  It got me thinking about how dangerous the life of a military soldier really is.  It doesn't matter if he is on the ground or in the air.  No place is really "safe".  As much as I don't want to think about it, I must think about the "what if's" and be prepared if God forbid something happens to my soldier. Every family member married or related to military will always have that in the back of their mind when that loved one straps on his gear and heads out on a mission or places that helmet on his head and steps into that helicopter.  Helicopter Crash

It amazes me how strong mentally and physically my husband is after 10 years in the military.  The good Lord has kept him safe through 3 deployments and so far while he flies in the air for training.  Every thing he does poses a danger to himself, but its the life and the job.  I sit here tonight thinking about the families of the two pilots that were in that Kiowa yesterday night.  One family is without their husband and father of a 4 and 2 year old this Christmas.  Another family sits beside their pilot in the hospital, praying for a safe recovery from his injuries.  No one will understand more than a military family member what sacrifices they all make to serve this great nation.

I love my pilot, but even more so, after hearing the tragic crash yesterday night, I must remember to pray to God to keep a hedge of protection over my husband every time he steps into a Blackhawk helicopter.  I wouldn't trade my life of a military wife.  I just have more strength than I ever thought I would.