Military Wives

I am writing this to you using generalities, and addressing common occurrences, from an enlisted member's point of view. Notice also that I have not addressed this to other dependants or husbands of female military members since they are the minority in the subject. I realize that this will make some of you laugh, but will also hurt a lot of feelings. Know this. I care less about your feelings than I do about the lint between my toes. I care not if you are married an E-1, an E-9, or the CENTCOM Commander. Unless you signed the on the dotted line, and raised your right hand,

You are NOT a service member. You DO NOT RATE any of the customs, courtesies, or respect that your husband has earned throughout his Military Career. You do not rate to be called by his rank, his title, to wear any of his ribbons, medals, uniforms, or awards. They are his alone. There is no 'we'.

That is a FACT.



Now that I have your attention, let me explain why.

You husband, regardless of his branch of service, has signed eight years of his life over to the control of the military and Department of Defense. This is generally a term of 4 years of active service, with 4 years in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) if he chooses not re-up (re-enlist) or resigns his commission. This is not a decision that is made lightly, and is usually only made after some time of careful thought and consideration. During these four years of active service he must abide by the stringent and numerous rules and regulations that the military has in place. Every branch abides by the Uniform Code Of Military Justice (U.C.M.J.) and each branch of service also has their own set of rules, regulations and orders that each individual must follow..

He has made the conscious decision to subject himself to a myriad of small torturous acts that civilians never encounter. Minimal hours of sleep. People screaming in his face. Digging holes just to fill them back in hours later. Never-ending formations and standing around. Living in a room with another man that he may or may not hate. Terrible food that prison inmates wouldn’t eat. Sleeping in holes or on rocks. Being told to do something only to be screamed at for doing it. Hiking up mountains only to turn around and hike down again. Being under the charge of people who do not care if he gets paid or goes hungry. Months of grueling training, without knowing who the enemy might be. Years of his life deployed beyond the comforts of home, in places where the people want nothing more than to harm him. He made this decision. You did not. He has experienced all of this and lived with the consequences of his decision.

He may be a combat veteran who has seen things that would cause grown men to faint, throw up, or scream in uncontrollable terror. He may have sat behind the wire with A/C, video games, and hot chow, hearing explosions in the distance and nothing more. He may have never deployed. It does not matter. These are his experiences. He alone earned his rank, title, awards, and the respect that comes with those. This is how he makes his money and supports his family. These are personal achievements that become cheapened when the word 'we' is introduced.

For example,

"WE are re-enlisting."

"WE are getting promoted."

"WE are getting an Award."

No, you are not doing any of those things. Would you enjoy working long hard hours, putting in months of work to graduate college early, only for someone else to take partial credit when they had done nothing to contribute?

Believe it or not, you both have very specific jobs. You are there to cheer him on, build him up, and be his rock. His job is to protect you, support you in your endeavors, and build you up. None of this permits you to waltz through his circle of friends demanding the respect that he has earned. Stop prancing around as if it does. You are entitled to nothing.

Editor: Zach Deloach

HR5344: The Responsible Body Armor Possession Act

This is something that I saw going around the Internet and I felt compelled to comment on it. I own body armor and I see no reason for this bill other than for the Government to once again stick their noses where they don't belong in order to make some politician feel good about himself. I see it as one more step in the incessant march toward a totalitarian regime where the people are little more than drones, or slaves.

With multiple armed assailant break in's becoming more and more commonplace, this bill will do nothing but place the American people in more danger, leaving them without a valuable life saving asset. Many of the people who own and purchase body armor do so for training purposes or to defend themselves from criminals, not to commit crimes. This bill will also do nothing to prevent criminals from possessing or manufacturing armor. We have laws against possessing and manufacturing machine guns, but still we have gang bangers running around with full-auto AKM's and Tech 9's. We have laws against possessing and manufacturing Short Barreled Rifles and Shotguns (SBR and SBS), and we still have criminals with SBR's and SBS's. We have many, many, laws against the manufacture and distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine, and various other schedule 1 narcotics, and yet, we still have millions of people snorting, shooting, and smoking them every day. One more law will not deter those inclined to live outside the law.

As a Marine I wore body armor on a daily basis while in Afghanistan to protect myself from life threatening wounds in the likely event that I would be shot. Peace Officers also wear armor vests in the performance of their daily duties to prevent death or serious bodily harm, while S.W.A.T. team members wear both hard and soft armor to protect themselves and their teammates. Should the American Citizenry  not be afforded the same level of protection in the event of a disaster and/or marital law, when they may be defending themselves against multiple violent criminals who are threatening their lives, the lives of their families? Is the average American's life, that those Officers are sworn to protect and serve, worth any less than the life of a Marine, Soldier, or Peace Officer?

When disaster strikes, and the violent and lawless prey upon the peaceful and law abiding, the American people will need these assets. Denying them the right to own something that has the potential to save their is stripping them of the tools that they need to prevent harm from befalling them or their children.

After all, it's for the children. Right?


Do what you can to stop this.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/stop-hr-5344-banning-responsible-law-abiding-citizens-owning-body-armor/GNrBKFrF

Write your representatives.
https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/113/hr5344