Personnel Crisis Looming, Army Spouses Say

Washington Post ^ | 03/28/04 | Thomas E. Ricks

[Pokey78]

As Soldiers and Their Families Tire of Extended Deployments, Reenlistment May Fall, Survey Shows

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Patty B. Morgan's husband was fighting in Iraq with the 101st Airborne and she was caring for two children by herself. Their lease was expiring and they had committed to buying a house across town, so she was going through with the move anyway.

One hot morning last July, as she was about to drive boxes to the new place, she walked outside, infant car seat in hand, and opened the garage door -- to find that her green Jeep had been stolen.

A few days later, she was told that her husband wouldn't be home by Labor Day, as she had expected, but would serve in Iraq six months more, for a total of a year.

"It was a hell of a week," Morgan said in her throaty voice.

Morgan's experience is part of a significant change in Army life brought about by the war on terrorism: The extended, or repeated, deployments that characterize the post-9/11 Army have intensified the burdens traditionally borne by military families. And most of the spouses who have remained behind are wondering how long the Army can keep it up.

This change is reflected in a recent poll conducted by The Washington Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University, and in dozens of supplemental interviews. The poll, the first nongovernmental survey of military spouses conducted after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, included more than 1,000 spouses living on or near the 10 heaviest-deploying Army bases.

[Pokey78]

Full poll (pdf)

[CyberAnt]

Well .. I doubt the WP gets it, but they are just as responsible as the NYT for all the anti-war junk they say about our soldiers - causing people to take advantage of their families.

Disgusting! If I had a subscription to the WP - they would surely be getting a piece of my mind about this.

[x1stcav]

I remember the old NCO's in the 60's saying 'If the Army wanted you to have a wife they would have issued you one'.

Different Army, different time.

[mystery-ak]

I've had a lot of hell weeks to with Mike gone, I sympathize with these wives, but I would never ask Mike to get out, that's his job and he loves it.

[Capriole]

Well, I'm sorry for these women, but their time alone has a limit. Those of us who are divorced or widowed have to raise our children and manage major life decisions by ourselves all the time.

I recall the Navy wife who lived across the street from me carrying on because her husband was gone for a whole seven months and she had only her parents and sister to help her. I shook my head. I've been alone with two kids for ten years and I don't have parents or siblings to help, but it never occurred to her that I have a tougher row to hoe. We manage.

I just don't think the sacrifice is so so so so terrible for these military spouses. No one held a gun to their heads and forced them to marry members of the military. No one drafted their spouses. It was something they went into as adults, with their eyes open.

[MinuteGal]

Wonderfully articulated, Capri. You're right on target.

Leni

[raloxk]

"One hot morning last July, as she was about to drive boxes to the new place, she walked outside, infant car seat in hand, and opened the garage door -- to find that her green Jeep had been stolen."

what does this have to do with being in the army

[Casloy]

While everyone can sympathize with the family's of deployed troops the fact is they are limited to 2 year of active duty out of every 5. What did they think they were going to be doing when they enlisted? For many it was a question of doing your weekend a month and then collecting the retirement after 20 years. I guess the idea of actually participating in a war was not what they signed up for.

[M-cubed]

Different Army, different time.<<<..sure is!...But Im not so sure a volunteer Army is the answer....

[txzman]

They do not know the military wives I know.

[Sci Fi Guy]

I find it hard to believe that Bush has not increased the size of our military. Fighting a 2-front was with a peace time(size) army is wrong. )When clinton was Prez, there was talk about our Army being to small to hand all the peace-keeping jobs, now we are doing so much more.) Soldiers should not have to face deployment every other year. And we do need to have the reserves to meet any additional threat. I guess after the farm bill and the new Bush entitlement there is not enough money for our military.

(yes, I'm voting for Bush. He's 1000times better then Kerry.)

[ASA.Ranger]

The Pravda on the Potomac never ceases its below standard, ultra-flaming, ultra-left-wing, publication of utter nonsense!
Giving weight to the notion that our National Defense is related to the "burden" on soldier's families is laughable given that the the solution is re-instituting the Draft. The wives may then participate along side of the husbands. The idea that the Draft is only for men has been shattered by rags like the N.Y. Times and the Potomac Pravda.
I was drafted into military service as a male then lived 30 years in the age of the affirmative action. I've had my fair share of supervisors who were promoted because of their sex, race, or preference for an alternate life style.
If volunteerism fails due to family burden then the next Draft should be in the spirit of affirmative action!
I am very proud of my Father; WWII, Third Herd for the duration. He is part of the Great Generation!
The men and women of this generation deserve a heck of a lot more credit than the liberal rags give them. They too, are heroes and it is too bad that the Potomac Pravda fails to give them the credit.

[exDemMom]

Let me see... I was married to a Navy man for 13 years, and spent something like 6 years with him during that time. Separations are a fact of life for the military family, and that was true long before G.W. Bush was elected.

BTW, don't get the wrong idea. We're still married. He retired from the Navy about 9 years ago, so is no longer a Navy man.

[Jeff Gordon]

The retention polls are being skewed by the National Guard which has some legitimate gripes. A disproportionate number of the troop types needed in Iraq are part of the National Guard. While most Guardsmen are happy to fulfill their obligations they really did not expect to be away from their homes and job for two closely spaced 18 month tours.

The Army has recognized this problem. It is working on moving these needed occupations into the regular army.

[bannie]

Same way I feel about how they make saints out of men who are raising their children alone.

How many of us women have done/are doing this?

We all have loads to bear, and I hope the very best for all of the families of soldiers. I would like to increase the size of our military, so that each soldier could do just one tour of the duty for which they were hired. I believe that soldiers should be paid a fair income so that none of the families have to beg for food stamps or any other "free" assistance.

Before anyone screams at me: I was a soldier, married to a soldier, with two children of our own. The situation was not planned: My husband and I had been married for some time--with no children--when we enlisted.

It was not easy. I did not reenlist BECAUSE it was not easy for our family; and I believed that my children deserved better. I believe that the reason that the marriage did not work was because of the military life; but many other marriages fail, so who knows.


I could go on and on. The lives of soldiers and their families are not easy. We should do all that we can to keep them financially-well-compensated; however, the life is a choice.

[Spyder]

Let me see... I was married to a Navy man for 13 years, and spent something like 6 years with him during that time. Separations are a fact of life for the military family, and that was true long before G.W. Bush was elected.

I've gotten to know Navy wives since we've been in Hawaii, and your story is common. We Army wives have been a bit spoiled since Gulf War I was so short. Still, in 18 years as a military wife I've gone 2 full years with my husband in Korea (two separate tours), and he's currently in Kuwait for a 3-month stint. I think the ones grousing the loudest are the reservist wives who really didn't think anything would ever happen, that that little check just materialized every month for nothing.

[arjay]

We do appreciate your sacrifice. I sometimes think it is tougher on the families than on the service members.

[squarebarb]

I realize I am late to this thread and there may be no more replies. But.

My dad was drafted into the Navy in 1943 when he had a wife and two kids and was working in a defense plant. He was sent to a Destroyer Escort and was at Iwo Jima and Leyte Gulf. He and his mates were nearly killed by a kamikaze pilot at Iwo. Missed them by 50 feet. He wrote this in a letter. My mother did not see him until 1945. We have his letter from the Pacific with one line on it;

JAPAN HAS SURRENDERED! I AM COMING HOME!!

When we talked with my mom and dad about it, and asked for stories, she said two things I will never forget.
"I knew he was in the same group with the Enterprise. That's the only way I knew where he was. We followed the Enterprise in the newspapers, and knew he was somewhere near."

The other thing was, "Polly, you have to remember this: we didn't know whether or not we would win."

So kwitcha bitchin.

[strongbow]

I live close to Ft Richardson and Elmendorf AFB. While I only have a snapshot of these families lives I can tell you that what I see is pride in their husbands duties not resentment. I also see our community as supportive and proud of them for their sacrifices. Yesterday I treated the son of a Army soldier who is deployed to AssScratchistan. My fee was adjusted for them since they have crappy military dental insurance and the Mom almost didn't believe it when she saw the bill. We consider it an honor to take care of these folks at my office and we want them to know how much we value their families sacrifice. The cream will rise to the top as it always does in defense of our nation. God bless the US Army, USAF, USMC, and USN. Let the Washington Post and their other fifth column allies shove it where the sun don't shine.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Bless you for helping them out on your own dime.