When Your Husband Takes The Enlistment Oath

I, Thomas Myers, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same...

...and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the officers appointed above me...

...according to the regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

So help me God.

When your husband takes the enlistment oath, it means he belongs to his country first. You'll be important to him, always, but when duty calls, he's gone.

When your husband takes the enlistment oath, it's tough when he deploys for months at a time. You worry about him. You know there are people out there, bad people, who would be pleased to kill a United States soldier. You worry about the kids going months without their father. Yes, they see him on the computer screen, but is it enough? Will this harm them in the future? You don't think so, but the fear is there. You know if something happened to him, yes, it would harm them. It would forever change their lives.

It would forever change yours.

When your husband takes the enlistment oath, you know he'd give his life for his country, no questions asked. He would kill for his country if it came down to it.

When your husband takes the enlistment oath, you know vacations will be few and far between. Even when one is planned, his country might call and he will no longer be able to go.

When your husband takes the enlistment oath, you'll wish you had family close for help. Sometimes you'll get lucky and live near family members but most of the time they'll be many hours away. You'll sometimes feel left out when you see photos of family get togethers online. It'll feel odd at first when you finally get to see family and everyone is so comfortable together, while you stand awkwardly. No one knows your family as well as the others because you've been overseas for three years.

When your husband takes the enlistment oath, you'll spend anniversaries, birthdays, and special occasions on your own. But you'll make the best of everything.

When your husband takes the enlistment oath, you'll be left with the kids alone a lot. There will be hard days. You'll cry. But you'll manage, because it's what military spouses do.

But when your husband takes the enlistment oath, you'll feel a sense of pride when you look at your husband. You're proud of how hard he works. And even though this life as a military spouse can be difficult:

You wouldn't have it any other way.