My Advice To the New Military Spouse

This whole military life is weird and scary. Nothing can really prepare you for what’s to come, what you will lose but also all that you gain.

My advice…

Get out & meet other military spouses—and not just ones in your peer class. Find spouses who are a few stages beyond what you’re experiencing. Their wisdom will give you peace.

Yes, you will move away from your friends. You might not see them again beyond social media. Or it might take a decade to be at another duty station together. But those friendships will give you strength and support when you need it most.

Even though my close non-military friends loved me during deployments as best they could. It was my military family that carried me through the highs & lows of separations because they knew intimately what I was missing & enduring. They gave me hope.

If you’re only at a duty station for 4 months, still put yourself out there. Make a friend. Be brave & attend the events (even if you’re alone). Type up a “searching for a friend” post on your local spouse Facebook group. That’s how I met one of my best friends here in NC. ♥️

Connect with military spouses here on IG. Their humor & vulnerability inspires me to keep it real for you all.

Don’t worry, when you say good-bye, it won’t be for forever. You will be together again

Just promise me, you won’t tough it out on your own.

Julia and Cara were my first military spouse friends. We met in 2013. We all got married, got dogs and started having kids around the same time. I’m thankful for our friendship and bond. This photo is from 2017, the last time we were all together in the same place.