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What is the hardest part about being a nurse while being married to an Army man?

I am trying to prepare to be the best nurse and wife possible. I know that the Army will move us frequently and take him away often. #armystrong #registerednurse

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Jacob’s Answer

Hi, Cassandra. That is a great question and, as a former Platoon Leader, I really appreciate you making the effort to strengthen your marriage and support your husband. During my 2.5 years as a PL for two different platoons, I saw a lot of relationship issues with my Soldiers. Our unit had a very high operations tempo and we were back and forth between garrison and training extremely frequently. You are right in assuming that the Army will move you around frequently and take your husband away often. Although those are both very challenging things to deal with, the uncertainty of when the Army will move you and when it will take your husband away really exacerbates how difficult Army life is. I think that is probably your biggest challenge - the uncertainty and lack of control your husband will have over when he leaves and how often that happens. The Army is a great organization and provides a lot of benefits to its Soldiers and their families but it is a both a challenging and rewarding experience. You will experience highs and lows in your relationship. I'll share my thoughts on some of the best ways to maintain a healthy relationship while your husband serves below:

Jacob recommends the following next steps:

Communicate often. Make sure your husband knows how you are feeling and what challenges you are experiencing. Make time for dialogue both ways and focus first on listening to each other and then addressing the problems you are having.
Get involved in the community where you live. Whether it is through your job, your husband's unit's Family Readiness Group, or a different organization near or on post, having something outside of your home life and the Army will help keep you engaged and get you through the tough times when he is gone. The Army has an incredible number of organizations and support networks for both of you - take advantage of them! Here is a link to the FRG website so you can check it out yourself: https://www.armyfrg.org/skins/frg/home.aspx
Stay in touch with family and friends from home. The Army will take you all over the country and, at times, it can feel like you have been dropped in a remote location. Thankfully, technology makes our friends and family just a few moments away through cell phones and computers. Make time to stay connected with your family and friends - it will do wonders for your mental health.
If you husband's unit does deploy, don't just rely on technology to communicate. While talking on the phone and hearing each other's voices is an incredible respite from the rigors of a deployment, I also highly recommend writing letters. Not only is it exciting to receive mail but it also provides an outlet and an escape from whatever is going on in both of your lives. I wrote frequently while I was overseas and found that it was an incredibly cathartic experience.
Good luck to both of you and thank you for your service - spouses of members of the military serve just as much as their husbands and wives. Take care and be well.
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Jamie’s Answer

First of all, you’re awesome! I was in the Army for 4 years and I have to say, being an Army wife is difficult. I saw my wife go through you know what and back. I’ll include my 2 cents below in the next steps.

Jamie recommends the following next steps:

Find local support groups. The Army is big on supporting spouses.
Involve yourself in social media groups designed for military spouses.
Talk to your husband. If you all commit to communicating with one another, you’ll be able to openly discuss and difficulties that you’re having.
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