Fabulous Army Life

PHOTO: At PETCO Park in San Diego, California, on a wonderful tour of the home of the Padres. This was one stop on a great Block Leave vacation. I sometimes forget that not everyone lives and breathes Army terms and events. I recently sent an email to my cousin talking about our upcoming leave plans and current events in our household ... and she promptly wrote back with a list of questions, including "What does block leave mean?" So for my cousin and any others who may want to know, Block Leave is a period of time provided for Soldiers and their Families, usually just before and just after a deployment, to enjoy some time away from everyday work. "Block" because the entire unit is provided this opportunity at the same time and "Leave" because the Soldier is on official "leave" from the Army. In other words ... vacation! We have taken a majority of our Block Leave times from Fort Hood, Texas. We have enjoyed several great places near our hom...

I was waiting on a flight at Dallas/Fort Worth airport several years ago and remember seeing a young Soldier get off the plane at my gate. He stepped into the waiting area, looked around anxiously, and then ran toward a young woman holding an infant. As they embraced and she lifted the baby to hand him to the Soldier, I realized that this young man was seeing his baby, his son, for the very first time. I know this scene is played out across our Army all the time, but it brought tears to my eyes to watch their reunion. This young Family stays with me as a reminder of what our Soldiers give up in the cause of freedom. As Father’s Day came and went this year and we celebrated the dad in our Family, I couldn't help but think about all the Army dads out there who do such an amazing job of balancing family and work. Having watched my husband of 15+ years, the past 9+ of those as a dad, I have seen how difficult it can be to be a great Soldier and a great Dad. It takes constant pract...

Photo: Our Soldiers just after stepping off the bus, and just before greeting their Families. Nothing compares to an Army homecoming. After months apart, Soldiers are on their way to be reunited on an Army installation somewhere … usually in a gym or on a parade field. The Army band comes to play or a deejay is hired to play to the emotional crowd so music fills the air and excitement and apprehension build to record levels. Remember, it’s been months. Months! These Soldiers have been in the heat and sand, working nonstop with few comforts of home while the Families at home have handled all of the domestic duties while worrying each moment about their Soldier’s safety. (We could spend chapters on that alone, but suffice it to say, it is exhausting.) Now THE DAY is here. Now this DAY is much different than that ‘other’ DAY. The goodbye day is heart-wrenching and sad and gloomy and feared. This day is the antidote to that day! This is a day full of exhilaration and nerves and ...

My Army Strong Army kids A Welcome Home Hug  I have been thinking lately about Army kids and how they seem to have their very own brand of independence and confidence, honed by years of moving to new places, meeting new people, and saying farewell to good friends whose Soldier had been reassigned to a new location. When my kids talk about taking a family trip, they don't stop at the local Six Flags or Water Park. They suggest places like Washington, DC, London, England, and Vicenza, Italy ... all places where friends have moved in the past year. In my reminiscing of Army kids, I was reminded of an Army child I met years ago, before we had kids of our own. My husband and I had just moved into temporary quarters at Fort Stewart, Georgia, when we heard a knock at our door. We had just arrived and no one yet knew how to reach us, so we were surprised to have a visitor. When I opened the door, a little girl about nine years old was standing there. "Welcome!" she sai...

Yesterday I attended a farewell brunch for one of my dearest Army girlfriends. We've been in the same location for the past four years and survived two deployments together. She's been a wonderful listener, our kids enjoy each other, and we have similar views on Army life ... realistic with a large dose of humor. As I was thinking about the move she is about to make (across the ocean with three kids into a foreign land), I was again amazed at the resilience of the Army wife. [Note: For all you PC folks out there, I have a great appreciation for Army husbands, but this one is for the wives ... so I won't always use the more politically correct "spouse."] For most folks, picking up the family and moving into a foreign country would be a long, drawn-out, soul-searching decision-making process utilizing months of research, planning, and analysis. For my friend and her Family, it's a matter of getting orders to go. Almost in auto-pilot, they put their house ...

I find our Army Soldiers the most resourceful, dedicated, brave, and honorable men and women anywhere. Last weekend, I witnessed one of many examples of why I adore Soldiers. My kids and I attended a concert on Fort Hood featuring the Lt. Dan Band. It was a wonderful event and we had a great time. The music was fantastic, the crowd energetic, and the kids area well-organized and fun. All in all, a very fun night for us. After a few turns in the bounce houses, my boys requested ice cream. I'm never one to turn down Blue Bell ice cream and the night seemed to call for a treat, so I agreed. I stood in the line while my ever-energetic boys ran laps on the track with some friends (friends they met for the first time a few minutes earlier -- as military kids do). The line for ice cream turned out to be one of the longest I've encountered ... maybe ever. I happened to be in line surrounded by Soldiers in uniform; a happy place to be! In much the same way that hostages being h...