Blog - Milspouse Conversations™

16Oct 2020 by Nyshita Cruz 1 Comment

We See You. You matter.

Usually when one thinks of domestic violence awareness it is in the prism of statistics and numbers, how many are being affected and the capacity of scale. Today, I would like to address the people who are affected by domestic violence and abuse. There are more people impacted by domestic violence in the military community, and the world, than we will ever really be able to know. If you are being targeted by an abuser, I want you to know that you matter, and we see you. (more…)

09Oct 2020 by Nyshita Cruz 6 Comments

Dear Future Friend, I Love You, But I Don’t Want To Be Your Friend Yet

Military Spouse Life, PCSing

Living life as a military spouse has its rewards and its drawbacks like any other lifestyle, and the one I have to admit I have the most trouble with is meeting new people, and not for the reason you may think. Not because I am afraid I won’t make friends or I will have to start a new life with new people. For the most part I have kept my same friends over the years, and I have added new friends as we moved from one duty station to another. (more…)

02Oct 2020 by Jasmine Jones No Comments

The Trials and Triumphs of Being a Military Child

Military Child Teen Life

I've been a military brat all my life, and let me just say... it's an experience. There are some things that are exasperating, but at the same time, I feel like I'm lucky to be able to live the life I have. There's never been a point in my life where I finished school at the place I started. I've attended: 4 elementary schools 2 middle schools Soon to be 2 high schools. Finding new friends is the hardest part and the biggest trouble of being a military child for me I have to start over finding friends every 2-3 years, and the first few weeks(or months) are lonesome. Almost everyone has their friend group already, and you have to find one that you fit into and get along with. …

22Sep 2020 by Milspouse Conversations No Comments

Coast Guard Girlfriend To Navy Wife Love Story

Military Spouse Life

I am a formal Coast Guard GF of 2 years and a current Navy Wife of 7 years. I consider myself a master packer, an expert at finding my tribe quickly and a tiny human tamer with my four little ones. I feel strongly that I became a military spouse in order to help others because it was not in my original "plans". But then again, that's basically how military life is! I met my husband in 2004. He was stationed in my home town of Memphis, Tennessee, in the Coast Guard and we went to church together. I had never really interacted with military members growing up, so I was a complete newbie to everything. He was tall, dark and handsome and so quiet. I actually thought he hated…

02Sep 2020 by Sybil Jones No Comments

My Memory of September 11, 2001

Military Spouse Life

It's been 19 years since September 11 happened. The day of watching not one, but two planes collide into The World Trade Center in New York City. Another plane hit the Pentagon, and reports flooded in about a plane going down in a field in Pennsylvania. That was four planes. What was going on? I felt like I was stuck in a movie. And I was not too fond of the plot one bit. (more…)

25Aug 2020 by Milspouse Conversations No Comments

Those Dress Blues Tho’ 😉

Military Spouse Life

Originally published 1/21/20 Okay, so promise me you won’t tell my husband this because I’ve denied it for ten years now (and will probably take it to my grave!). I was the Program Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Danville, Illinois. We had a table at the job fair that was held at the community college. It was my co-worker’s turn to represent the company that day, so I was back at the office. After a couple of hours, I received a phone call from her in which she said, “There’s a hot Marine here – you should come!” Although I wasn’t dressed for meeting “the one”, I didn’t have much work to do, so I headed to the job fair. Of course I took extra brochures to…

18Aug 2020 by Milspouse Conversations No Comments

I Am Not Okay

Military Spouse Life

Originally published to Milspouse Conversations - 11/25/19 Let me tell you all a secret about me- although I am usually Little Ms. Sunshine, sometimes that's a front. I married very young. My husband and I were high school sweethearts from Podunk Town, Mississippi. He wanted to join the Navy, and because that was his dream, I eagerly followed. I had no idea what military life entailed. No one close to me had ever served. Hell, I thought that (one of my all-time favorite movies) Top Gun, was the Air Force because of the pilots. I simply assumed that if you flew a plane you were in the Air Force. That's how green I was. I've held it together through most of the years. Many moves, babies, promotions, deaths, and deployments…

21Jul 2020 by Milspouse Conversations No Comments

4 Simple Self-Care Practices for MILSOs to Start Off the New Year

Military Spouse Life

This article was originally published January 2020. Military Spouse Life Military life is not for the faint of heart. Moving every 18 months-3 years on average means starting over. Finding new friends, service providers, activities, schools, church just to name a few can cause even the most seasoned spouse to put themselves on the back burner. Deployments, workups, on-call schedules, and the unpredictability of their spouse's work also come into play. There is added pressure of being both mother and father to their children while that parent is gone. (more…)

09Jul 2020 by Milspouse Conversations No Comments

Being Beautifully Imperfect

Military Spouse Life

Originally posted on Milspouse Conversations in 2019 Hello! My name is Annette and I am a 44-year-old female. I am a mother to a 19-year-old daughter who is a sophomore in college and a 16-year-old son who is a high school junior. I am also a military spouse of over 21 years and a Retired Army Disabled Combat Veteran. Long title right? Well, it does not define me but it helps when I share my story… (more…)

26Jun 2020 by Milspouse Conversations No Comments

From Hopelessness to Activism

Military Spouse Life

Right now, the country is facing some unprecedented struggles: with the COVID-19 pandemic, the highest unemployment rates we’ve ever seen, as well as the old sins of racism and genocide being reckoned with once again. It feels overwhelming to so many of us. We want to help, we want to make things better, we want to DO something -- but so often military spouses feel that our hands are tied because we never live in one community for long, and aren’t there rules about this sort of thing anyway? (more…)