Monday, May 28, 2012

Toughest Job in the Military


Disclaimer:  I very well may piss off some military spouses with this post and to them I say, “flame me in the comments or stop reading my blog.”  Also, the views I express in this post are not the views of the US Air Force, any US military branch, or the US government.

Now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you about something that pisses me off.  If you live near a military base, you’ve probably seen wives of active duty members driving cars or wearing shirts that say “Military Spouse: the Toughest (or most important) Job in the Air Force (or Army/Navy/Marine Corps).”  Are you fucking kidding me?!?!  How offensive is that?

The ground pounders will be happy to know they don't have it that bad.


You think you have  a tough job, spoiled military spouse who doesn’t work?  I DARE you to walk into BAMC or Walter Reed or Landstuhl and tell the EOD tech who got blown up disarming an IED or the Marine who took a bullet defending his men that your job is tougher than theirs.  Boo hoo, you have to live in your comfortable house with cable and AC and all your friends nearby while hubby’s gone for 6-12 months or more on deployment.  Cry me a fucking river you spoiled bitch.  You want to know who has a tough job?  The CE troops building the infrastructure in Afghanistan, the crew chiefs and port dogs and maintainers working on the flightline in the blistering heat, the medic in the ER receiving injured troops.  You, my dear, do not have a tough job.

I'd rather be a military spouse than do this job.
Pretty sure this Marine has a tough job.


People forget how tough it can be on the medical side.


Sure spouses are important.  They support the active duty member and take care of things while they’re away.  However, if it was that important of a job, we’d all be issued one upon commissioning or enlistment.  I’ve deployed several times without the benefit of a dutiful spouse waiting at home for me and it worked out just fine, thanks.

I'm not saying it's not hard to be a military spouse.  It's certainly harder than being the spouse of an investment banker or an accountant or a Wal-mart manager.  I do appreciate what military spouses do.  I've been deployed and received a care package from a military spouses group.  (though I think they forget that women deploy too)  The majority of military spouses are wonderful people who have excellent coping skills.  Unfortunately, it's the pains in the ass that are the most visible.

 What I think some of these wives forget, is that none of them are actually IN the military.  They did not enlist or commission as a wife.  It’s not an AFSC or MOS.  If they wake up one day and decide they don’t want to be a military spouse anymore, they can and do pack up their stuff and run back home to mother.

While I’m on the topic, I recently saw a spouse with a shirt that read, “Don’t Confuse YOUR Rank With MY Authority.”  Oh really?  Well honey, I’d like to advise you not to confuse your HUSBAND’s rank with MY authority.  You are a civilian.  I earned my rank and the authority that goes with it.  I don’t care what rank your husband is because I still outrank YOU.

Rule 5: Military spouses are great, but some of them need a little perspective.


Perspective

2 comments:

  1. Love it Shella! My cousin brought back 13 men who were trapped behind enemy lines when their escape route was cut off. Was the waiting hard? Yes, I don't envy his mother or his wife but I'm pretty sure he had a worse time of it than we did

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