Charge the hill - change the mountain

Now more than ever, military families are confronted with an ever-changing environment. What challenges are you facing as a military spouse and how have you or how do you plan on overcoming them?

We are over-comers. We thank God for second chances. We both escaped the ravages of failed marriages. We both navigated financial and emotional tempests. We both found strength and resolve in the furnace of faith. We both dedicated our lives to serving our neighbor.

We never imagined a relationship would develop out of such clamor. We were too busy attending to the needs of wounded single adults in church. But God is good and a God of second chances. We both discovered we had a passion for people. That was the glue that stuck us together.

That was just the beginning of our journey together as husband and wife. Last year we faced a new challenge. Should we commit to serve in the Army Nursing Corps or continue to live in the comfort of our Florida home? We both had excellent jobs: One an ICU Registered Nurse, the other executive director of a homeless assistance agency.

The Army road looked fraught with danger. One would have to give up an executive position. The other surrendered a civilian life to accept a commission in the US Army Nursing Corps. But we decided money didn’t matter as much as people did. We took a deep breath and plunged into Army life. It was a leap of faith that challenged every sense.

We immediately discovered job-search around the WRAMC metro area was intense and tedious. Educational requirements were steep and unforgiving. We needed more patience and persistence in addition to a degree.

Nursing maimed OIF troops to health was full of mixed emotions. Treating accident victims and gang injuries in civilian intensive care unit was one thing. Caring for young soldiers with missing limbs the same age as your own son was tumultuous. It took weeks before we could grip our faith and look into the eyes of those brave soldiers and speak encouragement to their ears. We could not replace their limb, but we could restore their sense of worth. We prayed a lot.

We were a military odd couple unprepared for the twists of Army life. Not only were we mixed racial marriage, but traditional genders were reversed. We looked in vain for a T-shirt that stated: “Army Husband!” at the PX. We also found nearly all the support groups and their websites were gender-centric. Age was another hurtle we continuously cross. We find ourselves at least 10 years older than our peers.

We intend to challenge these stereotypes with energy and enthusiasm. We have been given priceless gifts: love and passion. We will focus our energy on plugging in this Army blender, adding these precious ingredients. We have faith the outcome will taste delicious.