Many military spouses find that after they marry, their lives simply change overnight. The first thing you have to remember when embarking into a military family, whether you were in a long relationship with the service-member or not, is that you've now gone from one service-member to a family unit of individuals living on service-member terms. In other words, almost everything you do and every decision that you make from here on out will be based upon your spouses orders.
This can be a good thing, but it can also be very difficult to adjust to. Let's cover a few things that you may have questions about.
"What can I do for steady work to help financially support my family if we move around a lot?"
We covered this in one of our previous blog posts titled "Work Ideas for Military Spouses" and offered up a few work ideas for service-member spouses, to help them find steady work that can assist in supplementing their family's financial income. Remember that financially, for the most part, the military will be paying for most of your expenses.
"Will my finances change at all?"
Yes, your finances will change, but for the most part it will be for the better. The military will offer health insurance for you and any children within the marriage and low-cost on-base services.
- You will have a housing allowance to help pay for your rent if you do not already live on base housing
- You will also get a utility allowance to help you pay for your in-home utility costs
- Many service members also receive a food allowance
- If you will be stationed abroad, the military will also help curb the increased expenses of locations with higher currency exchange rates such as Europe
- If for some reason you must remain in the US, while your spouse is stationed overseas, the military may also help with the expenses of your base home rent in the US, and that of your spouses living quarters overseas
"What is the exchange store, and can I shop for American items while stationed overseas?"
The exchange store is similar to the department stores in which you already shop. It offers many of the same name brands and merchandise that you can get in the civilian world, but often for less and tax-free. The stores are exclusively for service members and their families and can be located on or near bases. You can also shop online at the exchange store and receive the same discounts. The exchange store sells:
- Food items
- Luxury goods
- Footwear
- Furniture
- Clothing
- And household goods
"Will my life change as a military wife"
Yes, your life will change almost completely as a military wife. You will take on more responsibilities as your husband is shipped off or given more responsibilities at work. You will most likely be expected to handle all things at home on your own while your husband is away. Always keep in mind that if your husband has been deployed, the best thing you can do for him is put on a brave face and tackle the problems you have at home without alarming him unless it's absolutely necessary. Remember that while he is fighting for his country overseas, his mission is on his mind but his family is also on his mind. Any distractions at home can affect his ability to remain focused on the field.
As a military wife you also assert a duty to assist other fellow military wives should they ever have any problems. Once you marry into this life, you will all become part of the same family, and as a family, you will stick together. So remember, although this role is a tough one to take on by yourself, you will never be by yourself as long as you have another military wife alongside you.
Be generous, be respectful, and be a part of a group of spouses who support each other and support their service members.
0 comments :
Post a Comment