May 9 is Military Spouses Day and we’re taking a moment to honor the men and women who stand by the men and women who fight for our country. There are many reasons to hate being a military spouse, from long deployments to pay cuts, but overall it’s an incredible life to choose to lead. Alexandre Dumas Pere said, “All human wisdom is summed up in two words—wait and hope.” If you really believe that, and we do, it would appear as though military spouses are the wisest of us all, practicing patience with hope for sometimes years at a time.
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We thank the military spouses for sharing their loved ones with the rest of the country in order to protect and serve us all. In honor of you, here are 15 reasons to love being a military spouse.
15. Who can resist a man (or woman!) in uniform? Me-ow, right?
14. You get to see the world. Military families often have to move every couple of years. That said, you could be stationed anywhere from Japan to Hawaii (and everywhere in between) so being a military spouse means you’ll experience culture, food and world diversity.
13. Great benefits. Health insurance covers military spouses and children completely. You can’t complain about that!
12. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Psychologically speaking, we yearn for our loved ones when they are not near. When your spouse is away, you remember the good times, the joy they bring you, and the love you have for them intensifies.
11. Military families are a wonderful community. On a military base, spouses find support groups and social gatherings for wives, husbands, and families who are left missing their loved one while they are deployed. The sense of community on base is often palpable, where love and acceptance (and an understanding that can only come from other military spouses) abound.
10. You couldn’t be more proud of what your spouses do for their country. Military spouses have every right to be proud of their husbands and wives and all that they do for their country.
9. Adultery is against the Uniform Code of Military Justice. We haven’t seen any sort of study on the matter but we wonder if the rate of adultery and divorce is lower in military families.
8. You learn how to make the most of your time together. Cherish the moment! Because you must!
7. Military wives are strong, independent women. Military wives and mothers become increasingly independent with each deployment and time of service. We learn to lean on each other, but depend on only ourselves to get things done and survive the day to day.
6. Homecomings are sheer bliss. You know you’ve cried at those videos too!
5. You know how to make anywhere feel like home. Because home is where your heart is…
4. You are incredibly adaptable. Feel free to redecorate or even move if you must while your spouse is away! He or she is used to setting up camp somewhere different every night from time to time, and will surely just appreciate the comforts of home once there.
3. You are part of a fabulously diverse population. Over the last 50 years, diversity in the military has only risen. We love that it’s becoming an increasingly accurate representation of the men and women who make up the country.
2. No one’s more patriotic. A sense of belonging and loyalty to a cause can bring incredible sense of community and belonging which is great for mental and emotional health.
1. No one appreciates their spouse more than a military spouse. When your loved one is away for long periods of time and quite possibly in life-threatening situations, nothing quite matches the love, relief and sheer joy of seeing him or her come home.
