What Really Happens on the Home Front During a Deployment

We bust our buts working fundraisers 

We raise funds for Single Soldiers Homecoming projects

We make beds & make the Barracks welcoming

we take trips with fellow Army Families

and more Co Trips

We build families

we show our Patriotism 

we try new things like Cheer leading

we enjoy quiet family time ..

Every new Military spouse asks the same question when it comes to Deployment. How do you get threw it? Well the simple answer is stay busy!!! Get involved in your FRG you all heard horror stories about gossipy frg and cliques well I can tell you I am a FRG leader and I don't do gossip and I don't do cliques my FRG is a family readiness group I want my spouses to have knowledge and information that will help them be resilient every day not just during deployments. I am a firm believer that if you join an frg and its not what you think it should be then stand up and voice your opinions...A successful FRG is an active one with volunteers who sincerely care I don't do what I do for the perks, pay ?? umm no?? those card stock certificates umm nope I do it because I care and my thought is a happy spouse, makes a happy soldier makes a successful Company, Battalion and Community...Now besides your FRG, their are Spouses Clubs and PWOC check out your Post Chapel...moms groups, ACS always needs volunteers...now on to more fun things we did DFAC lunches and dinners to keep business at our DFAC during Deployment, we did a local Wild Animal Park, Amusement park, cheer camp, oh and check out those Chapel based Marriage and Family retreats ...they have them for Deployed spouses too. The point is just don't sit around marking off the days on the calendar or eating the each days M & M's get out and explore the area around your post...travel with a friend, or another wife...go someplace your husband wouldn't have fun like Polish Pottery shopping, crystal shopping, shoe shopping or purse shopping...I definitely do not encourage crazy spending on shopping!!! I once drove two friends to Cheb a town in Czech to purse shop I bought nothing I just went for the adventure ....I also advice personalizing your calendar my husband is gone 9 months we broke our calendar up into 3 Big events My daughters Senior Prom & Graduation, Her off to college & the little ones back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas...in our case the twins Bday is Jan 12th ....Homecoming was scheduled for Jan 1st but we heard they might be home by Christmas so we told the girls daddy would be home for their bday...so Jan 12th was circled on the calendar so if he didn't show up for Christmas they wouldn't be disappointed ....so personalize your calendar ...I also say don't move home with your parents or mother in law I promise 9 out of 10 Spouses regret it ...stay in your HOME, go visit family plan a month visit however after 2 weeks you probably will have reached your ok I need to go now phase...lol so visit for 2 weeks go visit some other family, then head back to mom n pops spend a week say see ya later and head on home...SPACE A is your friend....if you are OCONUS ...in the states round trip Greyhound bus tickets Mil discount $208 ??? heck yea no gas cost, no driving woohoo
**** Don't forget Single Soldiers who will becoming back to Barracks ask your FRG leader about Helping out with welcome home baskets & signs*****

A glimpse of Deployment Soldier Side

Deployment time went by fast for me I think it was because the girls and I kept busy and broke the Deployment up into BIG EVENTS . I bet Pachenko doesn't think it went by fast.

 Pachenko got to fly the Apache he loved it and I am surprised they got him out of the bird afterwards.

 Pachenko is not known to be stylish this hat sorta proves that point. I still love the guy though

 The man working hard I am glad he likes what he does and he sure looks good doing it.