Official Permission to Whine

My husband has officially given me permission to whine this week-end. Maybe that’s because he’s not here to listen to it! He left early this morning to fly back to Michigan for his monthly military duty. As a reservist, he has to complete one week-end a month and two weeks a year in service to our country.

I am proud of him for all that he does but it also affects us personally–individually and as a family. When we don’t get a week-end because Daddy is on drill, we miss out on a lot. We can’t go to church as a family and we really miss the relaxation of just being together. I also don’t sleep well or very much when he’s not around which makes deployments even harder. To add to all of that, the kids can get really grumpy! My daughter learned all about biting during my husbands’ first deployment. I’m glad those days are behind us. I do have to admit that it has improved as the kids have grown.

I was asked, earlier, about my husband’s job in the military. He started out as an enlisted Chemical Specialist in a dental unit in the Army. His unit was closed in the first round of BRACs (Base Re-Alignment and Closure committee of Congress) so he transferred to the Air Force. He then got his commission as a Medical Service Corps Officer.

We then moved from Glendale, Arizona to Battle Creek, Michigan. The closest base the Air Force uses near Battle Creek is actually on the other side of Detroit. So, he had to drive 2.5 hours to Selfridge for his monthly drill. He did this for five years until, once again, the BRAC hit his unit.

He transferred to the Air National Guard and we were so looking forward to having him drill right there in Battle Creek. He would be able to come home at night and we could meet him for lunch. Well, he had just completed his first drill at the Guard base in Battle Creek when he got the promotion in his civilian job that brought us here to Tampa, Florida. The good news in all of this: his BRAC’d Air Force unit that was at Selfridge is being moved to Tampa. Starting in June, my husband will once again be in the Air Force and will be able to drill close to home.

Here’s a picture of my handsome hubby. I couldn’t be prouder of him.