3 Surprise Realities About Army Family Life

 

I am an Army brat.

I have experienced the joys of adventuring across the country as a kid, and the fears of falling asleep with my dad fighting on the other side of the globe.  Every time someone asks where I’m from, I start out with “Well, I don’t really have a hometown” and proceed with an explanation that is more confusing than informative.  Long story short, when my husband enlisted, I thought I knew everything.

Of course, I didn’t.

And I still don’t.

 

There are some things that will never change about the Army, whether you’re a dependent spouse or a dependent child. Parades, formal balls, big neighborhoods full of kids: some things never go out of style.  But there are some things (most things) that are drastically different, depending on your relation to your sponsor.  There are many facets of military life that I had to rediscover when I graduated from Army brat to Army spouse.

 

In particular, these 3 surprise realities caught me off-guard!

 

1. Expect Delays…BIG Ones

 

The Army is famous for it’s “hurry up and wait” policy. As a kid, I do remember gaps of time between my dad’s assignments, as well as cushions of time off between our moves. But those were pleasant delays. I was a kid. It didn’t really effect me.

 

Fast-forward to adulthood and occasional anxiety.

 

As a new Army wife, I experienced very quickly the other kind of delays.  The kind of delays where your soldier finishes training, but has to stay on site to await his order. And he is told his orders will be ready within two weeks. But they are not. And so you are living states apart, just waiting. You get the point. It is agonizing, aggravating, and completely unavoidable.

 

My advice: talk, talk, talk through everything. Sometimes, the delay is frustrating but you KNOW it’s going to end (like he WILL get orders eventually). Other times, the delay may be months long (due to injury, or a hold up with getting a clearance) and you have to consider new options (like moving to where he is).

 

2. The Military Paycheck can Fluctuate

 

While it’s true that anybody can google how much base pay a soldier is earning through the military, those numbers aren’t quite as set-in-stone as I originally thought. (what kid would be tracking that?)

 

Yes, there is a consistent base pay that will not change under any circumstances. But there are many factors that go into the bonuses and deductions on the LES. For instance, jump pay (for Airborne soldiers) is an add-on, however if the jump status becomes inactive, so will the bonus. Similarly, BAS (food allowance) is a monthly addition, but if the soldier is opted in to eat at the facility on post while training, that BAS will disappear.

 

Don’t forget pay bumps, time in service, BAH, fiscal year adjustments (for determining BAH allocation), promotions, utilities rebates, and PCS reimbursement, just to name a few. The amount of money reflected on an LES can vary drastically based on each soldier’s career and assignment. It’s not as clear-cut as it seems.

 

Moral of the story: always, always read the LES.

 

3. Being a soldier can get expensive.

 

Or in other words, your soldier’s wardrobe might cost twice as much as yours!  While it is true that soldiers are initially issued the basic clothing necessities when they arrive at Basic Training, that’s definitely not all they will need for their careers.

 

It’s not costly at all to switch patches and ranks as your solider earns promotions and enters various units.  But the daily wear and tear on the uniforms adds up over time.  There is the costs of dry cleaning and sewing, as well as boot/dress shoe polishing.  Sometimes the uniforms need to be replaced, and other times they need to be adjusted depending on the unit.

 

Do. not. get. me. started. on. packing. lists.

 

If your soldier attends a camp or training program, he/she will have to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of equipment.  They will need duplicates, they will need necessities, and they most certainly will need duplicate necessities.

 

Everything!

 

And yes, occasionally your soldier will receive a clothing allowance, intended to help offset the cost.  But it is extremely infrequent, and does not at all add up to the amount that they spend on uniforms yearly.

 

—– —– —–

 

What about you?

 

What surprised you about the Army lifestyle?

 

None of the above “shockers” are a make-or-break deal for me.  But these 3 surprise realities about Army Family life definitely added some time to my adjustment period from brat to spouse.

 

Leave a comment below sharing the biggest shock you had.  Thanks for stopping by and reading about 3 Surprise Realities About Army Family Life!