Military Housing

There is beauty in living in military housing. The people you meet, the things you collect, the ease of worry. Let me elaborate.

Living in military housing  has a benefit of culture. Granted, not all experiences are enjoyable, but they are all significant. I have lived with people native to over 10 countries: Germany, Italy, Romania, Korea, Philippines, Puerto rico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Norway, Russia, China, Panama, Poland, etc. Now, this may not seem like anything but a list of countries. To me, each experience is like a ray of sunshine, bringing light to all I had not known. When you have the opportunity to live with people from different lands, it's like an immersion class! You learn language, culture, cooking techniques as well as recipes, different objects that signify something completely unrelated to life as you knew it, and different ways of communicating with those you love. Sometimes you can do this in America and sometimes in other countries. Either way, it's a blessing!

Another beautiful thing about living in housing is that it is very easy to have things repaired. A phone call is usually all it takes. From kitchen hoses to air filters to electrical issues, they come and fix it. If you stay on top of  your household issues, you can literally have everything fixed! To the average person that may not seem like a big deal, but once you own a home, you'll know just how valuable that really was!

The neighborhoods are cool in military housing in that people actually get out and talk with one another. Strangers invite other strangers over for BBQ's for the mere reason they just moved into the neighborhood. Kids play with other kids they don't know because it's just easy!  That's what military housing is all about...bringing strangers together all throughout the year, to live and work together for a purpose far greater than any one of those individuals.

I, personally, prefer living on post because of all of these reasons. I have many friends that hate it because of the same thing but it gets wrapped up as it's too close knit or small town-like. As for this gurl, I love the value in on-post housing!

1001 Things to Love About Military Life

A book was recently published about life in the military. It's not a mind altering, life changing read, but it is one that helps military families treasure this experience we have. One quote stood out to me and I haven't been able to forget it.

Military members and their families only make up one percent of  the population but they are bearing one hundred percent of the the sacrifice of war. Pg 8.

Does this explain how few know so little but pretend to know so much? Just a thought.

Oh, and by the way, have you thanked a military service member or family member today?

Our Military Bucket List

After going to a West Point football game, I realized a Military Bucket List may be a cool thing to have. Naturally, because it comes from me, it has a twist to it: my list is made up as we accomplish things, although a few things may be on there before we actually attempt them. So, without further ado, here is the list.

Our Military Bucket List  

• live OCONUS at least once We lived in Puerto Rico and Germany
• visit Disney Parks during military appreciation We went to Disney twice, once when Tre was young and once when Trin was young. I'd like to go one more time for the child in ME!
• visit Busch Gardens during military appreciation We visited Busch Gardens Europe and Africa
• have children in different parts of the world Trin was born in Puerto Rico and Tre in Georgia
• pick up at least one NEW language We took an interest in Italian, but I don't think that counts, as I have been talking about it for a long time now. The Samoan language was introduced to me at WP. I want to learn more.
  
• go to a West Point football game CHECK! We went to the last home game of the season: WP vs. Tremble.
• start a new tradition from each duty station CHECK!
• host a  holiday dinner for the family In West Point, we finally go to host a holiday meal. It was Thanksgiving 2012 and it was absolutely fantastic bumping into everyone in the kitchen to get things done!
  
• provide gate guards with hot chocolate on Christmas
• acquire a new recipe customary to the area of our temporary home
• maintain a Blog specific to our military experiences 
• come away from each duty station with at least one way to improve character

 

Something bigger than yourself, your neighbor, even your community!

I was on the phone (big surprise) with one of my dearest friends this morning and we started talking about the phrase "belonging to something bigger than yourself" and how that applies to the military.  I feel like the military is one great big unit with sub-units. We are a HUGE family.

The military family includes all branches. It includes all ranks. It includes those you don't always want to talk about, some you don't want to show up for holidays, and others you wish would mature a bit quicker than they are. It also includes those you adore and want to see as often as possible, those you SKYPE from across the ocean, and those you simply can't get to fast enough to celebrate their accomplishments. 
When you live in a military community, you are truly in a diverse atmosphere.  There are people, literally, from all over the world in your neighborhood. You have people of all ages and all positions on your post. You have children who have lived all over the world and have been exposed to benefits such as world travel, multiculturalism, multiple languages, and hardships such as the absence of a parent for months or years at a time, knowledge of the human race and what it is capable of in times of war and turmoil, and leaving friends and family as well as your house every few years. For many, these types of differences are awkward  and sometimes uncomfortable to navigate through. For the military family, it is comfortable and consoling. It simply "is."

When you observe a military environment, you will see many things. Playgrounds are full of children. Children who are loud; energetic! They take full advantage of their playtime because it is a time when they can be free from the structure of the every day life, free from the unpredictable family dynamics.  They get together quickly and freely, involving almost everyone to take part in activities. Their comfort zones are large and easily permeable. They live in the moment whenever they can because they know things change rapidly. Hold onto "now."


When you observe a military environment, you will see groups of people sharing laughter and enjoying time outside of their homes, no matter the season!  Summertime is filled with barbeque's by day and casual socializing by night.


The streets are buzzing with families who are riding bikes together, families who are camping out in the back yard, families who have sprinklers on and hoses spraying down anyone who passes.

Winter has it's own challenges yet you see kids playing in the snow, building snowmen, sledding down hills adults cringe at. Christmas time is bursting at the seams with lights all around!






Fall is colorful with piles of leaves that are jumped into on a daily basis, bicycle riders and leaf-bouquets that are gathered on the way home from school. Jack-O-Lanterns are everywhere lighting the way for kids to get candy...even on their second and third run to the houses.

Spring is filled with Dandelions blowing in every direction because children are making wishes. Moms are in the gardens with dads in the yards. Chalk is all over the sidewalks, skateboards are zipping by and the cheers of sports fans are heard a mile away. In our neighborhoods, you see people enjoying one another.

When you observe a military environment, you will see women getting together to bring children they barely know to school because the family is missing a member.

You will see groups of people providing dinners to a woman who is so depressed she can't cook for her family.  You will see community members watching over the children who's mommy is at war and dad is out with the fellas for a break. You will see men stepping in as male role models because dads are deployed. You will see neighborhood moms bringing out Popsicles not only for the children they know, but for everyone who is playing together.

In schools, the kids have empathy for their classmates. They share information and teach one another.




They back each other up, and love through the hard times.  They look out for one another.





Most times, teachers have compassion for the students; they want them to learn and don't have to see it in any particular form or progression. Guidance Counselors are phenomenal in their work!

 We are family, and family is not perfect. We dispute and tease. We get annoyed and irritated. We knock on the doors of our neighbors. We laugh out loud. We cry together. We drive one another around. We celebrate births and mourn deaths. Despite all of that, we are not afraid nor ashamed to step outside of ourselves. It's a unit, and this unit includes the entire military community!