Published: April 30, 2021
It doesn’t take long for a military family member to learn about Murphy’s Law , Murphy’s Law of deployment that is. Anything that can break will break. Or, more generally, anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
The washer explodes, causing a flood? Sure. One of the kids breaks an arm attempting a double backflip off the bed? You bet! Car dies at the most inconvenient time possible, leaving you to buy a new one solo with three tired kids in tow? That sounds about right.
Well, Senior Spouses have been there too. Mrs. Dawn Schultz, spouse of Admiral Karl Schultz, the 26th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, can remember more than a few times she’s had to manage crazy situations while her husband was away. After 31 years of marriage, 12 moves, 11 years of sea duty, and five (that’s right, five!) children, it’s not hard to imagine. Which memory stands out the most? Taking on a hurricane.
“My husband was deploying as a hurricane was approaching,” Dawn recalled. “His parting advice as he deployed was to pack up and head out. A well-meaning neighbor told me there was no concern since we were not in an identified evacuation zone. Considering the car trip and hotel room with children ages 1, 3, 5, and 7-year old twins, I opted to listen to my neighbor. The hurricane took an unexpected turn and picked up strength with no time to evacuate.”
Not an ideal situation to find yourself in without support from your partner. But after many years of navigating the ups and downs of military life, Senior Spouses know how to adapt and overcome. What did Dawn do to get her kids through the hurricane? “We spent the night in a mattress-lined laundry room, the kids wearing bike helmets, singing “Wheels on the bus go round and round,” Dawn shared. “ Lesson learned…always evacuate!”
Military spouses have so many stories, just like Dawn’s. They are resilient, independent, and powerful women and men who have tackled so many challenges on their own with their spouses deployed or away for training. It’s so important that we celebrate their strength and come together to connect, laugh, commiserate, and share. And we’re doing just that on Friday, May 7th, in honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day!
We’re hosting a free virtual event, and there will be lots of gifts for military and veteran spouses who join. Dawn will be there too with her fellow Senior Spouses sharing stories, like the one above, and wisdom from years of service. We bet you’ll learn a thing or two to help navigate your journey! << Join us and save your spot, today!>>
Then, think of your milspouse friends and invite them to join too.
Why? Because we’re all in COVID-19 survival mode still, and this may just be the pick-me-up they need. Because, seriously, you all serve without hesitation or need for recognition. But listen. We see you, and we think you deserve a big ‘ol “THANK YOU” for saying yes to wearing all the hats. So, no matter who you’re thinking of – a friend, a neighbor, or your Battle Buddy – we encourage you to forward them <<this link>> right now so they can treat themselves to an afternoon of fun – with YOU!
<<See you there.>>
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