In “Gender- and Class-Based Role Expectations for Army Spouses” author Margaret Harrell discusses how class-based identities shape role expectations and perceptions of Army spouses (69). She begins by discussing what these gender roles mean by arguing that the spouse roles that exist within the army are culturally constructed, and these roles are not expected of men which proves they are gendered (Harrell, 70). She goes on to argue that these roles are culturally constructed because there is nothing preventing men from filling the role of officer’s spouse (Harrell, 70). Harrell then progresses through a brief history of Army spouses and how the military community was primarily concerned with officer’s family life (74). Harrell quotes Roger…
For Military Family Awareness we were assigned to make a project for one of the military families. My partner Skyler and I had chosen a project & the family to give it to. We had decided to make christmas ordainments, one christmas themed and the other military. My partner had chosen to do the Christmas ordainment, so i worked on the military. We got our materials together and began to work.…
In chapter 18, A Brief History of U.S. Military Families and the Role of Social Workers (Rubin, Weiss, and Coll, 2013) discussed how U.S. Military families have played a vital role in the military community. This chapter also discussed how as time progressed, more resources became available to service men and women's families that were left behind. In addition, social workers played an important role in helping families improve over time by providing and establishing many needed services and programs.…
I woke up tired on a beautiful, sunny, Tuesday morning. It was the day I had to fly to San Francisco for my job on a cruise ship. I had been in between cruises, so I had taken the chance to come see my parents in Newark, New Jersey. Later I realized that it could have cost me dearly. I changed into my pressed, white, long sleeved shirt with khaki pants and my sailors hat that I had to wear for my job as a deckhand. I arrive at Newark Liberty International Airport a hour before my flight, where I hug my parents goodbye. I walk in and go through security easily and go to my gate and wait for thirty minutes until we would be able to board.…
It was December 15, 2007, My daughter's birthday. I was stuck in afghanistan fighting a war. We were patrolling through a town heading back toward our extraction point. I was travelling with the commanding officer, and 4 others…
Deployments in the National Guard affect both the soldier and their families during this hard time. Nevertheless most families make it through the tour stronger then ever. Service members who have children at the time of deployment may be affected more by missing out on some of the most important times in their lives. Also, being miles apart can put a lot of tension on the soldier’s family and jobs. During these hard times both the soldier and the spouse need to keep positive communication from the beginning to the end of the deployment without making it stressful for either spouse. That could mean keeping the soldier up to date on their child’s progress through the year.…
1. Was your experience before boarding the plane more enjoyable than other flights you have taken?…
Families are important, everyone has one in some way or fashion. Frederick Buechner said, “You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you”. Military families, throughout their life, experience something that most other families will not even consider thinking about, and that is deployment; where one of the parents is gone for months at a time and sometimes even years. This is a very hard time for the children in the family as well as the spouse who is left home. According to Huebner (Mancini, Wilcox, Grass, Grass, 2007), 34% of children during a deployment have shown to have symptoms of depression. Such as loss of interest in regular activities, isolation, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, sadness and crying. When the parents are home, the family is strong, however when they are deployed no one can shy away from the fact that there are going to be effects without the entire family together. For example how does deployment effect everyday life; are there psychological effects, can it come depression, what does the remaining parent go through?…
In regards to Mother Nature and coming from a family of three, my parents pretty much ingrained in me that if I make a mess, I'm responsible to cleaning it up. I was also taught to use the trash receptacles and if there is none, then put it in my pocket or bag and discard later. This was also reinforced to me while I was in the military. While occupying a training area, we as military members are taught to keep the area we are occupying clean and clear of trash debris. After conducting training exercise, we are also responsible to cleaning up the area, picking up any trash that may have been left behind. As an army nurse officer, I was entrusted to ensure that the sanitary condition of the camp is enforced, such us ensuring that the field…
When I was assisting the United Services Organization (USO) in Hampton Roads Virginia, there was a soldier in need of a car. She had received orders a permanent change of station (PCS) move to Fort Lewis in Washington state. She was adamant about buying a new BMW X5 SUV, at a price point well out side her pay grade. Even though she did not posses the budget to support the monthly car note or maintenance fees associated with the luxury brand. Burdened also with abysmal credit score, suspended license and no one willing to co-sign the vehicle loan. As time grew closer to her PCS date, she was was unable to find anyone willing to assist her eventually asking an abusive ex-boyfriend. He seized the opportunity for a chance to produce a degrading sex video in exchange for co-signage.…
Whether good or bad, we all experience stress at some point in our lives. Stress is our body’s normal reaction to a physical or emotional adjustment. Because of the daily contacts we encounter with stress, we all have an idea of what it is and how it affects us, physically and mentally. Military families often deal with extra stress from the result of a loved one’s deployment. Families face numerous emotional challenges before, during, and after a deployment- causing greater amounts of stress.…
The American public’s perception of military spouses is skewed due to a lack of information and incorrect media interpretation. Military spouses must be willing to sacrifice, as well as have courage and integrity to make their family work under extreme circumstances. This cannot be portrayed in the media accurately. Television shows such as Army Wives makes light of what a military spouse has to endure. In turn, this hurts the reputation of the military and the wives who make such tremendous sacrifices for our country. Oftentimes, wrong information is more harmful than no information at all, especially in the case of this television show. To average civilians, with little to zero knowledge of the military, the show provides a glamorous and misrepresentative narrative.…
This is the best moment of my life and I honestly cannot wait to start my adventure. However, I realised that it is a series of misadventures. As we were waiting in line to check in, the airline service staff approached me and asked for my name. He then informed us that we were in the wrong queue and were the only two passengers that have not checked in. I was even more horrified when he informed us that most of the passengers were already on board of the plane. My cousin apologized and said something before the plane took off. That was the last thing I want to hear on my first plane…
When we landed in London, during the 3 hour transit, my parents decided that we should just hang around in the Duty Free area until the announcements were made to board the plane. Whilst my parents fell asleep on the seats in the transit lounge I wanted to explore the Heathrow airport. So I made sure where my parents were and did a little trip around the airport looking at the other passengers and stores around me. There were a lot of eating outlets such as Starbucks, Mc Donald’s, etc. While looking around, I saw in the corner of my eye a big glass window that had the view of the planes taking off and landing. I was so interested in watching those planes and almost forgot about my parents that were resting on the other side of the terminal. I went back to my parents and wanted them to come with me to the area where we can see planes landing and taking off. We spent so much time watching these interesting movements…
losing my way to the terminals and gates. So, I held the flight confirmation letter tightly in my…