What I Like About the Military

"A Warrior is someone who tried to stand up, even when they can't" -Unknown
The other side of the military that you don’t hear to much about!

Things I like about the military!

1. I am married to a trained Warrior!

2. I am married to a hero!

3. My husband has a secure paying job.

4. I have a better understanding of authority due to him being under command and being in command.

5. I have a better understanding of sacrifice.

6. I have a greater understanding of fighting and dying for something you believe in—I have lost many friends due to the War!!

7. I have a greater understanding when it comes to those families who deal with the loss of a love one due to war.

8. I respect the tradition of TAPS and the 21 gun solute and fully understand the cost!

9. I appreciate the symbol of a military helmet atop a muzzle down rifle, Identification tags hanging from the grip and military boots with a hero’s picture at the base of the muzzle. -- I am not embarrassed when I receive goose bumps, shed tears and say good bye to my friends!

10. I appreciate that I have a greater understanding of each fold in the American Flag due to the military.

11. I appreciate that I have a greater understanding of watching men lose friends but still continue on with the mission.

12. I love seeing the bonds of brother hood among men.

13. I love seeing the bonds of sister hood among military wives.

14. I love seeing a man in uniform.

15. I appreciate that my husband gets the best training available to do his job.

16. I love the richness of Military Tradition.

17. I love the meaning of the military awards and medals that stretch back generations!!!!

18. I have a better understanding of unity among different races and economic diversity.

19. I have seen states that I would never have seen if it wasn’t for the military.

20. I have seen countries that I would have never have seen if it wasn’t for the military.

21. I have made friends that I would never have made if it wasn’t for the military.

22. I appreciate that I understand how RICH our nation is compared to other countries. That understanding would not have happened if I had not had to move due to the military.

23. I have experienced cultures and languages that I would never have encountered if it wasn’t for the military.

24. I have good dental care.

25. I have medical care through the military.

26. I have had 3 children that have had good pediatric care.

27. I do not have to worry about the high cost of medicine due to my military medical coverage.

28. There are programs and resources abundant for those who have Special family needs. (family members with autism, crippled, non-hearing, bipolar, etc…)

29. I have an Education Center available to me where I can take free classes. (such as learning the latest windows, excel version, etc.)

30. The military provides through the Education Center Colleges and Universities to help enrich my Education. They provide these classes on post where I am in smaller classes, in a safe environment, and the convenience of the classes in the evening where all people can try to better themselves with out having day time interferences.

31. There are programs to help you get out of debt.

32. There are programs that help you become certified in the American Red Cross, CPR training, etc.

33. I have a Craft Center available to me where I can take classes that teach pottery, picture framing, watercolors, etc.

34. I appreciate it that military installations have movie theaters that show movies for a small fee.

35. I have a military gym available to me where I do not have to pay membership fees.

36. I have a military gym available to me where they keep the latest equipment.

37. I have a Commissary (grocery store) that is available to me here in the States and Oversees where I don’t have to be with out American ingredients and food. (Especially appreciate it when I am overseas!) I do not pay taxes on these goods although I have to pay a "small fee" in other areas.

38. I have a Postal Exchange/Base Exchange that carries clothes, the latest dvds, beauty supplies here in the states and oversees. (Specially appreciate it when I am oversees!) I do not pay taxes on these goods.

39. I have a military thrift shop available to me to shop in for those wonderful items that someone else can’t take to their next home due to them being limited on the weight they can move with.

40. I have a military youth/children’s recreation department for my children where they can be with other military children and do activities such as soccer, baseball, swimming, etc.

41. I have a military swimming pool available for my family to use when we want to go swimming. It is free.

42. I have a recreation department where I can rent campers, boats, etc.

43. I have available to me on many military installations, horse stables. We can enjoy horseback riding lessons.

44. I have available to me on those military installations where they get snow, ski slops

45. My husband gets Federal Holidays off (unless of course he is deployed or on overnight duty, etc.)

46. My husband gets 2 ½ days each month that accumulates to make 30 days a year. If he saves them up and doesn’t take leave, (a day off) for 12 months, we can have a whole month of vacation during the summer. – A nice vacation plan!

47. I have military police that keep me safe while I am on a military instillation!

48. I have a Chapel available to me if I can not find a church. (This is very appreciated when overseas and you don’t know the language of the country you are living in.)

49. I appreciate that the military has in place Christian wives groups for me to attend (PWOC-Protestant Wives of the Chapel) This is a place to met other Christian military wives and have devotions that are specific to the challenges of the military wife. (CWOC- Catholic Wives of the Chapel too.)

50. I have available, through the Chapel, marriage retreats and family retreats.

51. I have a library that is available to me on post that is full of military books, children’ books, etc.

52. There are psychs, counselors, and chaplains available to help in any crisis that a family may experience.

53. I have an ITT office (traveling office) that can give me coupons and discounts on vacations to Disney world, Resorts, Zoos, etc.

54. I have an ID Card that allows me special privileges. I can be anywhere in the world, flash my ID Card at the gate of any military POST/BASE and I have access and safety there.

55. I have an ID Card that allows me to be able to take vacations trips over seas by taking a military plane on occasion.

56. When my husband is at war, the months that he is gone, his income is Federal Income Tax Free. (We are not paying that months federal income tax and that months income does not count in your gross income for income tax season. So in essence it is as if you never earned that money tax wise.)

57. When my husband takes trips for the military he has a government credit card for his lodging, food and gas. So those expenses do not come out of our family expenses typically.

58. When my husband is on trips, the military pays him a certain amount a day for lodging, food and gas.

59. Once a year, I get to dress up in a Formal gown, and I am escorted by a Handsome Husband who takes me to a military ball.

60. I enjoy that my husband is generally around motivated people who also enjoy their job. They have job fulfillment and choose to be there.

61. I have a better understanding, of WHY I don’t need to know, all about what our government does to protect us.

62. I appreciate that the military feeds my husband when he is at war.

63. I appreciate that the military gives him the best equipment that they can give him to do his job.

64. I appreciate that the military provides our warriors with doctors that they can go to if they are sick or injured while at war.

65. I appreciate that the military provides services for my husband to get care-packages and letters from his family while he is at war.

66. I appreciate that the military tries to provide places where they can buy basic necessities while they are at war.

67. I appreciate that the military allows the men to call home when they are at war. (no matter how infrequent )

68. I appreciate that the military gives military men mid-tour leave during the time that they are at war or when stationed abroad.

69. I appreciate that the military has things in place that protects crazy women from hurting military men in their finances, etc. while they are away from home.

70. I like the wives groups that take care of the single soldiers by providing them Thanksgiving dinner.

71. I like it that there are things that are done to say good bye to those who are faithful (A farewell) and to say Hello to those who have arrived to a new place. (Hail)

72. I appreciate that the military establishes playgrounds on the installations for our Children to play on.

73. I appreciate that I can show that I am a military dependant and a civilian store sometimes will give me discounts.

74. I like it that there are grants and scholarships that are specifically for military wives and military children.

75. I enjoy quiet walks through the military cemetery grounds on military installations that are set apart to honor the fallen.

76. I like the buildings that are named for fallen soldiers in remembrance of them.

77. I like the statues and memorials that are established on the military installations to honor our fallen.

78. I appreciate the military museums that keep alive the memories of the past.

79. I love to hear the music as the flag is taken down at the end of the day.

80. I love to see the US flag taken down each evening and everything stops on Post/Base. All cars stop and the military soldiers get out of the cars and stand at attention until the colors have been put away for the day.

81. I like it when some men come home from war quietly and no one knows that they did their mission well because that is the way they are suppose to come home.

82. I like it when those men that come home and are in the position to receive a big “Welcome” get to feel the appreciation of their friends, family and the sound of a big band.

83. I like it when my Children who sacrifice time from their daddy, for him to do his military job, are excited when they see an American Flag flying in the sky.

84. I like military weddings.

85. I like the discipline that the military instills in the men.

86. I like the Military Oath.

The Military Oath

The Commissioning Oath

"I, _____ , having been appointed an officer in the (Service) of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God." (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)

The Enlistment Oath

"I, _____, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).

87. I like military hair cuts on Men.

88. I like miliary coins.

89. I like the way the military instillation guards salute my car sticker.

90. I like to hear "Yes, Sir".

91. I like to hear "Hooah!"

92. I like to see the salutes that are passed between one soldier to another.

93. I like the military uniforms. (The formal suits are striking!)

94. I like it that the men are trained so well, that when the entertainment world uses the wrong plane or helicopter sound to a plane or helicopter that is being shown in the movie, the men point it out.

95. I like the sound of "clean" cadences!

96. I like the sound of a bugle and the bag pipes. (Because when they are played they have a mission all their own!)

97. I like all the military branches. They each have a specific mission and yet they can be used in unity!

98. I like it when the military has shows where they can give a glimpse into the technology that our men have to work with.

99. I like it when the Commander In Chief (The President!) comes to our Post/Base and solutes our military men and they proudly solute him back!

-- DO I really have to keep going?