C.N. Bring's Blog: The Celia Kelly Series, page 5

CN SALUTES COMMAND SERGENT MAJOR RODNEY KIRSCHMAN

Sergent Major Rodney Kirschman Today CN Salutes Sergent Major Rodney Kirschman. He served as ACTIVE DUTY-US ARMY-1968-1969 Viet Nam 101st Airborne. Then he served in the US Army Reserves from 1974 to 1995 in the 159TH SPT Group Helena, Mt and 370th S&S BN Great Falls, Mt. 

What were/are your duties?
In Viet Nam I was infantry Spec 4. I was a paratrooper and the primary mission was to get supplies to troops in very dangerous and hard to get to areas. I lived through Hamburger Hill and various other battles. It was mostly about staying alive, many in my unit didn't.
In the US army reserves. I was a supply Sergent. During Desert Storm I was the First Sergeant. After Desert Storm I was promoted to Command Sergent Major.

What was the training and prep for your MOS?
My personal training in the military consisted of Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Lewis in Washington, Airborne School was at Fort Benning in Georgia, Advanced NCO School, First Sergeant Academy, and Command Sergeant Academy was at Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas.

What prompted you to serve?
I was drafted right after graduating from college in 1968. I joined the reserves in 1974 for additional income.

What did you like most about the Military?
What I liked most about being in the military was traveling to places I would probably never would have seen otherwise. The people that I met. In Desert Storm we were like a family.

What was some of the greatest challenges you faced?
The greatest challenge I had in Viet Nam was to stay alive.  As First Sergent, my greatest challenge was to keep my unit running smoothly and keep them safe.

What was your experience coming home from Viet Nam?
I had just gotten back and was waiting for my connecting flight to home at Seattle's SEA-TAC. In uniform, I went into a restaurant and sat a table. A guy at the bar kept staring at me. He started over to my table and stood up to meet him. I knew us coming home from Viet Nam were not getting a warm reception so I was prepared for anything. He was very serious and finally he asked me, "Did you just get back from Viet Nam?" I said I did. Then he said, "I'm getting ready to go..." We talked for an hour as I told him what to expect as we waited for our flights.

What was the most rewarding experience?
The most rewarding experience I ever received in my career was being promoted to the highest rank an enlisted person can achieve.

How did serving affect your family? Did they find their part of service rewarding?
While serving in the reserves, my family treated it as my second job and nothing more.

What opportunities or advantages or disadvantages did you have after reentering civilian life?
I was able to buy my home on the GI Bill.

What is your advice to someone thinking about serving their country?
My advice to anyone who was thinking about joining the military would be to check all the branches of service first and to answer the question for yourself, what is it that I want out of the military? Whatever you do don’t  join for the wrong reason.

THANK YOU COMMAND SERGENT MAJOR KIRSCHMAN FOR YOUR SERVICE!

Happy 238th Birthday United States Marines!

Marine Corps Birthday On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia passed a resolution stating that "two Battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces with the fleet. This resolution established the Continental Marines and marked the birth date of the United States Marine Corps. Serving on land and at sea, these first Marines distinguished themselves in a number of important operations, including their first amphibious raid into the Bahamas in March 1776, under the command of Captain (later Major) Samuel Nicholas.

 The first commissioned officer in the Continental Marines, Nicholas remained the senior Marine officer throughout the American Revolution and is considered to be the first Marine Commandant. The Treaty of Paris in April 1783 brought an end to the Revolutionary War and as the last of the Navy's ships were sold, the Continental Navy and Marines went out of existence.

Following the Revolutionary War and the formal re-establishment of the Marine Corps on 11 July 1798, Marines saw action in the quasi-war with France, landed in Santo Domingo, and took part in many operations against the Barbary pirates along the "Shores of Tripoli".

Marines took part in numerous naval operations during the War of 1812, as well as participating in the defense of Washington at Bladensburg, Maryland, and fought alongside Andrew Jackson in the defeat of the British at New Orleans.

The decades following the War of 1812 saw the Marines protecting American interests around the world, in the Caribbean, at the Falkland Islands, Sumatra and off the coast of West Africa, and also close to home in operations against the Seminole Indians in Florida.

George Washington received his appointment as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army the next day, and formally took command at Boston on July 3, 1775.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE MARINES ON OUR FRONT LINES!
More about the Marines @ Military.com

A VETERAN DIED TODAY

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.
 
And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.
 
But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Joe has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Veteran died today.
 
He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.
 
He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Veteran died today.
 
When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.
 
Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young,
But the passing of a Veteran
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.
 
Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?
 
Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?
 
The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.
 
While the ordinary Veteran,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.
 
It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.
 
Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever-waffling stand?
 
Or would you want a Veteran
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Veteran,
Who would fight until the end.
 
He was just a common Veteran,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his likes again.
 
For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Veteran's part,
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.
 
If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.
 
Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A VETERAN DIED TODAY."

This poem was given to me by a friend, auth

CN Salutes Army Captain Lisa Becker

15B Aviator Officer Captain Lisa Becker While in Japan this summer I had the pleasure of meeting many soldiers that my son-in-law, CW2 Moore, worked with. One of them was his Commanding Officer, 15B Aviator Officer Captain Lisa Becker. Her accomplishments in the Army are impressive. She is highly respected by the soldiers in her command where she serves at Camp Zama, Japan.

What were/are your duties?
I am an aviation officer and currently the A Company Commander, United States Army Aviation Battalion Japan.  My primary responsibilities are to ensure the safety and welfare of my Soldiers and execution of the mission.  In Japan, our primary mission is to provide distinguished visitor or VIP transport of United States officials.

What prompted you to serve?
Originally, I joined the Army Reserves because I was looking for a way to pay for college.  I also wanted a challenge, so I thought that the Army would challenge me in new ways.  I loved the Army and knew that I wanted to cross over to active duty after I finished college.  That plan changed the spring of my freshman year of college, (Centre College, a small liberal arts school in Danville, KY)  when I decided to start an application to West Point.  I was accepted the fall of my sophomore year and decided to give West Point a try.  Four years later (my first two years of civilian college did not count at West Point), I graduated and became an officer.

What was the training and prep for your MOS?
I went to Army flight school in Fort Rucker, AL.  I attended a series of classes based on basic officer skills, aviation maintenance, SERES survival school, over water survival training, etc.  Once I completed those prerequisites, I started actual flight school, which consisted of a half day of academics and the rest of the day on the flight line learning to fly helicopters.  Once I graduated from flight school, I moved to my first duty station at US Army Ansbach, Katterbach, Germany. Following my assignment in Germany, I moved back to Fort Rucker to attend the Aviation Captain's Career Course (AVCCC). Japan is my follow-on assignment from the AVCCC.

What do you like most about serving?
I love the variety and challenges at work.  No day is ever the same and rarely do the days go as planned.  The absolute best part of my job is working with some outstanding individuals.  Those individuals always exceed my expectations and come together to make an amazing team.  I go home every day amazed that I am so privileged to have such outstanding people work for me.

What are some of the greatest challenges you faced?
As an officer, I have changed jobs about every 12 months, so learning new jobs is always challenging.  Once I get comfortable with a job, it seems that it is time to move to another job.  The advantage to changing jobs so frequently is that I do not get sick of my job.

Being a female in the military always has its challenges.  In the aviation community, I have seen a perception that female pilots are not cut out to fly.  Fighting that stereotype is something that gets frustrating.  I think that the most important lesson I have learned is not to focus on the fight, but to stay true to oneself and not conform to a particular stereotype.

What was the most rewarding experience?
It's almost cliché, but leading America’s Soldiers is the most rewarding experience I could imagine. Seeing a group of individuals from different backgrounds come together to make the mission happen never gets old.  It is a privilege to be part of this organization.

How does serving affect your family?
I currently am not married and do not have children.  I know that my parents and siblings are proud of me for my service!


The TV program Japan Rising Star filming Captain Becker's unit. Presently Serving: Do you plan on making a career of your service?
I have always told myself that as long as I enjoy what I am doing and have fun, there is no reason to leave the Army!

What is your advice to someone thinking about serving their country?
I think that some people are intimidated by entering the military, but I often tell people that it is not as hard as they think.  However, one must realize that joining the profession of arms is a commitment.  One of the Army values is selfless service, and I think that is the most important aspect for a potential service member to understand.  Each person in the military gives up something for a greater good.

THANK YOU CAPTAIN LISA BECKER FOR YOUR SERVICE!

Baby Dedication from America to Afghanistan

Today at church Army Specialist Bret Rogers looked on via Skype from Afghanistan as his son was dedicated to the Lord. Thank you Specialist Rogers for your service and the moments you must sacrifice!

CN Salutes Lance Corporal Kelsey Van Horn

Lance Corporal Kelsey Van Horn
Today I salute Lance Corporal Kelsey Van Horn, who happens to be from my neck of the woods in Montana. I am always proud to present young adults like Van Horn. She has assumed great responsibilities as a young adult, enlisting in the Marines right out High School. Van Horn is currently stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA.

What are your duties?
My MOS is Special Intelligence Communication Specialist and I work with communications equipment such as radios, antennas, and networking. Monitor communications,gathering info, in addition to assisting and supporting Teams outside the wire.

What did/do you like most about serving?
What I like most about serving is the  camaraderie it builds amongst peers. We always work as a team. No matter how bad a situation may seem, it's always nice to have a good friend next you experiencing the same thing.  I have made some of the best friends while serving, and they're the kind of friends that last forever, no matter where we end up in life.

What prompted you to serve?
This has always been a hard question for me to answer. There is not one specific reason I wanted to join. I love this country and what it stands for, and I liked the idea of protecting the Constitution and the ideals this country was built on.  In some way, I guess, I also wanted to uphold my father's legacy of serving the government in uniform as he was a Newport Beach Police Officer. 

What is some of the greatest challenges you faced?
I guess you could say we are faced with challenged everyday, both physical and mental.  It's hard to pick out one thing. We are constantly thrown into completely unfamiliar situations and expected to know how to handle them.  It can get chaotic and stressful, but problems are always resolved. Great learning experiences come from the hardest challenges.   Being away from family is also hard, especially when we are put in situations where we aren't able to contact that for a couple weeks. 

What was the most rewarding experience?
Personally, I enjoy teaching others how to be proficient in our job field and learning from my surperiors.  It's rewarding being able to pass on knowledge and experiences to others, while from them at the same time.  Everyone has something to offer.  It's also rewarding knowing that I am able to support myself completely, without depending on anyone else.

What was the training and prep for your MOS?
I  enlisted and went to basic at Parris Island, North Carolina for 13 weeks. Then I did Marine Combat Training in North Carolina at Camp Geiger went to school for 6 months training in my MOS at Corry Station Pensacola, Florida before going to fleet.  However, the most valuable training I've had has been on the job training with trial and error.

How does serving affect your family?
I'm sure it's hardest for my mom.  I don't get to call her or see her as often as she's used to, and I'm sure she's not a fan of when I can't call for weeks at a time.  My family is always telling me they're worried about me and they miss me.  I do what I can to make it home over the holidays, but it doesn't always work out. 

Do you plan on making a career of your service?
I still have a couple years left on my contract, I haven't decided if I'm going to re-enlist or move on with something else. I change my mind about it every day. There are so many opportunities to consider both in and outside the service, so it is not a decision I am taking lightly. I guess I'll see when the time is closer.

What is your advice to someone thinking about serving their country?
I would advise to make sure it really is what he/she wants to do before making a decision.  Don't just join on a whim at the last minute because you think you have nowhere left to go in life. I think it's a great decision, as long as he/she understands the commitment involved, and the stress it will have on the family.  I will admit, there are definitely times I wish I was a civilian again, but in the end, the good cancels out the bad.  It's not a decision to take lightly.  There's a lot of duties and responsibilities that come along with joining the military. 

THANK YOU LANCE CORPORAL KELSEY VAN HORN FOR YOUR SERVICE!

Black Hawk Landing

PC W2 Black Hawk Pilot Trailson Moore landing his Black Hawk off the coast of Japan on a Japanese ship.

An Army Wife's Tribute

Army Wives Jessica Webb, Kristin Holland with CN I follow Army wife Kristin Holland on Facebook and was so moved by her post yesterday, I wanted to share it with all of you on CN Salutes:
"As I write this post it is actually 9/12 (in Japan where my family is living due to my husbands service to our great nation) but back home it is 9/11. A day Americans will never forget. I am proud to be an Army wife, proud to be CPT John L Holland's wife. This job of mine is hard at times, and not a life I envisioned for myself when I was a little girl. We have been to some amazing places and had some beautiful adventures, but I have also sat beside a 6 year old little boy while he prayed "Please God don't let my daddy get blowed up." He is ten now, and his daddy is his hero, and my hero and if you are enjoying your freedom in America right now he is your hero too! Today I am so very grateful for all of the men and women of our armed services that selflessly fight to defend our freedom. I am also aware of and appreciative of all of the families that are at home praying and hoping for the safe return for their loved ones! Thank you to all who do serve, have served and plan to serve this nation, and to the families that serve alongside them!"

CN Salutes a day in the life of a Blackhawk Pilot

W2 Trailson Moore I had so many great experiences in Japan, but at the top of the list (besides seeing my daughter, her husband and grandchildren) I had the honor of following around my son-in-law, Pilot in Command W2 Trailson Moore around for a couple of hours to see what was involved in an average day of a Blackhawk pilot at Camp Zama, Japan. I got to see some of the things that are involved in the job of  being a Blackhawk pilot. It was great to learn more about what he does and I was excited he shared that with me, and my husband Glen, who took the pictures. Trailson has always pointed me in the direction of good things. It’s because of him that I am a huge Green Bay Packer fan!

There are three possible reasons to fly, a mission, a training mission or a VIP mission. The planning begins days ahead of time in the Pilot’s office with the flight plans. If it is a VIP to be transported the POC (Point of Contact), usually a Captain, for the VIP is notified and kept in the loop as plans are put into place. For all missions there is a complete Risk Briefing to evaluate low, moderate or high risk, depending on what it is. The weather is constantly monitored, a crew is chosen and when all the proper paperwork is done and the evaluations are complete, the appropriate officer signs off on it for mission approval. The low approval comes from the company commander, moderate the battalion commander, and high the commanding general. The day of the mission the first thing they check on is the weather. Weather call time is 0600, and that will determine if the mission is a go or no go.

If it’s a go, preflight begins. The first thing that is done is looking for FOD (Foreign Object Damage), which is a walk around the bird looking at the outside meticulously and also checking fluid levels, filters, and general condition and security of everything.  Then the pilot climbs up top and checks for FOD and the rotors. The engines are also checked. They also take a fluid sample. The crew chief for the flight also does a preflight and both the crew chief and the pilot in command have to sign off on the preflight. The pilot in command flying the mission is at that time in charge even above those who may out rank him.
Then the run up and HIT check.  Aboard are usually two crew chiefs to secure any passengers. For VIP, you are three hours early. Once there is the all clear they are ready to fly. Camp Zama 78th Aviation Battalion Command has 5 UH-60 Blackhawks. They weigh around 16,500 lbs on average depending on the configuration. They can attach extra fuel tanks if needed.

Behind the scenes, there’s the Crew Chief’s Office, where you find mission notes, flight schedule. They take care of some maintenance and have civilian contractors on staff. In the Weather Station, Air Force E-4 Timothy York lets the pilot know if they can fly out on any given day.

SGT Jessi Federman is the ALSE (aviation life support equipment) NCO (non-commissioned officer).  Her job is to make sure all the gear worn on the flight suit is up to code.  W2 Trailson Moore also is in charge of the NBC Room and there he maintains and signs out gas masks, gas/chemical suits, night vision goggles which I got to try on. The newer night vision adjusts to light.

I was very impressed the the men and women serving at The 78th Aviation Battalion Command. It was such a great experience to get to see just a small part of what my son-in-law does in Japan. I am very proud of him and so honored to meet some of the soldiers he works with. Thanks to W2  Trailson Moore and the members of the 78th Aviation Battalion for your service! And thanks Trailson for taking your mother-in-law, me, to work for a few hours!

CN SALUTES CAPTAIN JASON WEBB & ARMY WIFE JESSICA WEBB

Captain & Jessica Webb at Army Ball CAPTAIN JASON WEBB
While traveling in Japan, I had the pleasure of meeting several amazing men and women who are serving at the Army's Camp Zama, Japan. Today I bring you an Army Captain Jason Webb and his wife, Jessica Webb, who have spent the last few years of his Army career in Japan.
Captain Jason Webb, an Army Engineer officer (12A), served at Fort Bragg, NC, Fort Riley, KS, Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and presently Camp Zama, Japan.  Webb had one tour to Afghanistan in 2006 and one tour to Iraq in 2008.  He has been ranks second lieutenant through captain (O1-O3).  He was also a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Webb was a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the basic parachutist badge, and the Combat Action Badge.



What are your duties?
I have served as a Platoon Leader, a combat advisor, an Engineer team leader, a company commander, and a staff officer.  

What do you like most about serving?
I love Soldiers!  I like leading Soldiers.  I like hanging out with Soldiers.  I like being a Soldier.  I like being in the field and maneuvering units.  It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to work with the people that I get to work with.

What prompted you to serve?
I always knew that I was going to join the service.  I always thought that I was going to be a Marine like my father and his father.  I had the opportunity to go to Marine ROTC at a wide variety of very good schools, but I was accepted at West Point and chose to go to school there, because I had such a great experience on my visit (and such a terrible visit to the Naval Academy at Annapolis).  

What are some of the greatest challenges you faced?
In Afghanistan, I was fired from a job for doing something that I knew was the right thing.  It was very difficult not to bad mouth my boss (who remained my boss) after the incident happened.  You meet lots of great leaders and lots of terrible leaders in the Army.  You just have to take what you can from every experience you meet and create your own playbook based on what you liked and did not like.  

In Japan, I was the company commander for the unit of which the USARJ Commanding General (two-star) and all his staff (most outranked me) were members.  I was responsible to ensure that all of these people that were higher ranking than me (or worked for someone that was higher ranking than me) were completing the things that all Soldiers have to do (i.e., complete your annual physical, fill out papers for leave and passes, take a physical fitness test, adhere to the height and weight standards, etc.).  Throughout this process, I routinely had to counsel people on ensuring they were meeting the Army’s standards.  For instance, I had to tell a major (O4) that he was not going to get promoted to lieutenant colonel (O5), because he failed his physical fitness test.

What was the most rewarding experience?
My most rewarding experience was as a platoon leader at Fort Bragg, NC.  This was just after we had returned from Afghanistan.  I got two new bosses (Company Commander=immediate supervisor and battalion commander=the level above that) that were very willing to give me the autonomy that I got in trouble for with my previous bosses.  I was trusted to lead reconnaissance missions on behalf of the unit.  I was put in charge of conducting training for the unit.  I was allowed to take my platoon and conduct the training that I felt would make my platoon successful based on the company commander’s intent.  It ran the way that I expected the unit to run, because the commander had faith in his subordinate leaders.  Both the company commander and the battalion commander gave me extremely high accolades when I departed the unit and I was extremely proud to be a member of the organization.

What was the training and prep for your MOS?
All officers go to some form of Army prep (West Point, ROTC, or officer candidate school called OCS).  I went to West Point.  It’s a four year college with a heavy focus on the Army and making the cadets there the best possible leaders that the Army can produce.  Once that was finished, I went to Officer Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, home of the Engineer Regiment.  There, I learned a great deal about small unit tactics.  I learned how to lead a group of Soldiers (25-40) through various Engineer specific and Army general tasks.  The Army expects its Engineer officers to be leaders in all types of Engineer units:  combat, horizontal construction, vertical construction, geospatial information, and cartography.  We learned a good amount about each of those five missions, but not enough to become an expert at any of them.  Instead, the expectation is that you know enough to get into the job, and when you get to the specific job, you learn the rest by studying, OJT, and professional development from those that are currently in the unit.

How does serving affect your family? Do they find their part of service rewarding?
My wife loves that we are serving in the U.S. Army.  She likes the people that we meet as much as I do.  We have been very fortunate to get the opportunities within the Army that we have.  Additionally, we have made great friends and created lasting relationships with people that we would never have met living in Cincinnati, OH as an office worker.  We also love to travel, and the Army has afforded us great opportunities to do so. Living in Japan, we have been able to see parts of the world that many people don’t even see in movies. Because the Army takes Soldiers away from their Families for long periods of time, there is a hard push to make sure that when mission allows, Soldiers can spend time with their Families (we even capitalize “Family” because it is a priority to our service).

Do you plan on making a career of your service?
I would like to make a career out of the service; however, I want to do so under my terms.  The Army has been fantastic to me and my Family.  I always said that when the Army stops letting me decide what I want to do, then I’ll do something different.  That time is coming in less than 3 months, but after I finish nursing school, I would love to serve the Army again as an Army Nurse.

What is your advice to someone thinking about serving their country?
It is extremely rewarding, BUT... There is a great deal that you will sacrifice.  Your time, your body, your Family, and your privacy.  These are all things that the Army will expect you to give up from time to time.  It is essential that you give these things away from time to time.  And not all the time.  Still, someone is going to come to your room on a regular basis to make sure that you are not living in filth, because that person is responsible for your health and welfare.  You will be expected to toe the line in many cases, because it is essential to good order and discipline.  Someone will always be looking over your shoulder to make sure that you’re doing the right thing, because you are entrusted with America’s resources:  equipment, security, money, time, and people.  You must sacrifice for the Army, but it is extremely rewarding.

Jessica Webb, Me, and Army wife Kristin Holland ARMY WIFE JESSICA WEBB
Jessica Webb met her Husband, now Captain Jason Webb, through a mutual friend during his last semester at the United States Military Academy or West Point as it’s more commonly called.  They began dating shortly after he graduated.  Jessica knew going in from day one that his intent was to be career Army officer (at least 20 years).

What did you like best about the Army?
I loved that the Army allowed us the opportunity to live in different parts of the world.  I could have never dreamed that one of those places would be Japan but that is where we have lived for the past 3 years after shorter stints in North Carolina, Kansas, and Missouri.  I’ve been blessed to accompany my husband on several TDY’s (temporary duty or business trips in civilian terms) to Australia and Hawaii as well.

What did you like the least?
Obviously deployments is at the top of this list, no one likes being separated from their spouse but another aspect that I strongly disliked is related to my favorite thing about the Army.  Because we lived far away from our biological families, our friends at each duty station became our extended family.  We celebrated holidays and birthdays with these people and they truly became family to us, then each time we received new orders we would have to leave them behind.  I loved getting to live in and explore new parts of the world but I hated saying goodbye to my friends.  No matter how many times I did it, it never got easier.

What are some of the ways wives contribute in any given branch?
Like I mentioned, when you’re living far away from family your friends and fellow Army spouses become very important to you.  When you have a baby, they’re there to bring you meals.  When your car breaks down, they’re there to drive you to the grocery store.  When your husband is deployed, they’re there to be your date for dinner and a movie.  When family morale is high it is easier for soldiers to focus on their mission.  I think the best way spouses can contribute is to help each other out and keep things moving smoothly on the home front.

What organizations are available to support military wives?
The Army offers abundant support to military spouses.  One organization that has been most beneficial for me has been ACS (Army Community Service).  Each base has an ACS organization that offers classes ranging from AFTB (Army Family Team Building which teaches spouses how to navigate military life including some acronyms, how to read an LES (a pay stub in military terms) and the ranks along with a lot more.  I highly recommend new spouses take these classes) to finance classes and cooking classes.  They have employees who can help with finances, counseling, children with special needs, etc.  They provide information about the local area, both on and off base.  They also can help you find volunteer opportunities or a job in the area.  Any time I need information, ACS is always my first stop.

What advice do you have for other wives in the military today?
Get involved!  Find something that interests you and get involved.  This lifestyle can be difficult and miserable for some but when you meet others who are in similar situations it can make all the difference.  If you like painting, check out the local arts & craft center on base and see what classes they offer.  If you like cooking, try your FRG (Family Readiness Group, every unit has one) they are always looking for someone to bring food to meetings and fundraisers.  If you’re a Christian, link up with your local PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) chapter and join the women’s bible study.  Do you enjoy writing, consider starting a blog, there is a great military spouse blogging community out there.  There is something out there for everyone.  If you don’t know where to find a group that interests you, I suggest you start at ACS, they can probably point you in the right direction.

Overall, how do you feel this experience has been for you as a family?
The Army has been great to us.  It has allowed me to see the world with my husband and make some of the greatest friends I could ever ask for.  We don’t have children so I cannot speak on how it affects families with children but for my husband and myself, the Army exceeded all of my expectations.  I enjoy knowing that we have a steady income (especially in today’s economy) and we will always have a roof over our heads, even if it is stark white government quarters.

You can check out more from Jessica on her blog Bleu Dress and Dress Blues

THANK YOU CAPTAIN JASON WEBB AND JESSICA WEBB FOR YOUR SERVICE!