National Guard = Army Wife

As I was browsing through Facebook today during a pumping session at work, I saw a post that discussed a blog that basically said that National Guard Wives are NOT Army Wives. She argues that although our husbands deploy like active duty army, we are in fact not Army wives because our husbands get to return to their civilian jobs, and active duty soldiers keep on their uniforms and return to being a 'soldier.' She also goes on to say that her husband can be deployed at any time, while we get the 'safety' of knowing that our husbands can't be deployed for four years.

Wow. She is a special one. While I am glad she has the freedom to express her opinion, I wish she would educate herself, which, by the way, she says National Guard wives are not. (I have two Master's degrees, am working on a third, teach 4th grade and Master's level classes - I am educated, thanks). First of all, yes, my husband did return to a civilian job, some do not. Some return to full time guard jobs which may not be there anymore. While civilian jobs are protected, active duty jobs are not. My husband returned from two deployments and became a teacher again. I almost think this is, in a way, more difficult. My husband had to return from Iraq, where he was a full time soldier, in the dirt with other soldiers who understood him, to a civilian job where no one can really fully comprehend what it is like to be deployed. Not only that, but he is amazing at TWO jobs - a Captain in the guard, and a school counselor. VERY educated. Thanks.

According to this 'educated' individual, my husband doesn't really qualify as a soldier because he only goes to drill one weekend a month, two weeks a year. While I agree with the time, my husband can get called in during national disasters, and whenever the Guard decides. Does this make him any less of a soldier? At one point, this lady actually says the uniforms are different. No, they are the same. Again, get educated yourself.

I hate lashing out against other military wives. We are supposed to be in this together. We are supposed to understand that although we are holding it together on the outside, there are times when a box of wine isn't enough at night. I can guarantee this woman that when my husband deploys, I cry just like she does, I have lonely nights like she does, I hold it together and bite my tongue when people say, "I couldn't do it" (Do you love your husband? Yes, you could), I couldn't wait for him to get off of that bus and back into my arms. I worry, watch the news, and have my heart skip a beat when the phone rings, like she does. Does the branch of military make our deployments mean less?

Airborne wife (that's her name on her blog) then lectures us Guard Wives on how to act in public, and what manners we should have when meeting commanders, and how NOT to disgrace the uniform our husbands wear. NEWSFLASH, she just disgraced the uniform her husband wears. Perhaps she should take some of her own advice and get educated.

Her husband also commented on the blog and talks about how he gets mad when people say he is in the Guard and doesn't understand why people don't know the difference. It's simple, people don't know the difference because they see a person in uniform, and they are all the same. They are the soldiers who have given up their weekends, their holidays and time with families to protect their freedoms. They can't see the difference because it doesn't matter. All soldiers bleed the same and make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

I feel much better now! I also feel much better knowing that the husband of this woman had to have a sit down with his commander regarding his comments on her blog. The commander of the recruiting station where he works said that although the wife is correct and she can say what she wants, he cannot. I guess perhaps he should learn how to act in the uniform.