I hear so many people who say this.. that have no experience with the Navy lifestyle What so ever! People who turn it into a branch battle.. Which shouldn't happen, They fight for the SAME things. For you, for me, For everyone, this country, for FREEDOM.Let me just give you a taste of what the Navy lifestyle throws our way, just because It seems that so many have a skewed view on it.
Our men go on Deployment!
This is where I hear, "Well at least it's not a year!"... or, "Well the Navy only goes out for 4-6 months, unlike [insert other branch here], so he'll be home in no time.". Wrong! Yeah sure, some of the deployments are 4-6 months.. BUT not always. PLUS there is more to the Navy than ships than so many seem to believe.. c'mon people. With Carriers, if they are not going out to temporarily fill in for another ship, they are out for a MINIMUM of 6 months, which in every case I have seen, has turned into more! AND they do what's called "World Cruises". It may sound like a vacation, but it's not. World cruises are 9-11 months and and I have read of several ships that went out 13 months during a world cruise. They don't just sit out there in a "Tin Can" and "Party it up" like some have it in their heads. Some seem to believe it's all fun and games and they don't carry a gun.. blah blah blah. If this was the case.. my husband wouldn't have joined the Navy. Plus, knowing my husband's Rate and also his TDY status doing 2 jobs.. I know how dangerous it can be for my husband on a day to day basis, out to sea and in port. It's not at all how some see it.
Also, Ships don't get R&R with their families. They go out and are gone til the Deployment is done.
Pirate Ships are REAL!
As comical and a myth as it may seem.. They are still around. They shoot at the Navy ships, Attack ships, They've been known to hijack vacation cruise ships, etc. Every Carrier I have known to go out on deployment since I have been a Navy wife (2 years now) has encountered pirate ship(s).
There is more than Just Ships to the Navy!
I know 2 guys with the Navy who are currently in Afghanistan fighting right this very moment. One is on a shorter deployment, but he's working with the Seals, which is one of the hardest things in the Navy. The other guy I know I know over there is a friend of mine and my husband's. He is from my husband's ship and is working alongside the Army for just as long as the Soldiers who he is fighting with, a year. And when he comes home.. He'll shortly after meet up with his ship for yet another deployment. I know another guy who is about to leave to fight alongside the Army.
Also, the Navy Corpsmen , are over there with the Marines. Just because they are over there for medical, doesn't mean they don't face the heat of gunfire. They are out in the field as well, getting shot at, fighting alongside the marines.
I could continue with "Deployments", but I hope I already made my point. Let me Continue with another part of "Navy Life".
Continuous Training.. Also known as "Workups"
Ok, Let me tell you how things work with the Navy ships.. We have what's called "Workups". Where they go out for weeks to more than a month out to sea at a time, come home for a few days, sometimes we're lucky enough to get a week or two, but they go back out. This lasts for Months to a Year before the actual deployment. It's constant in and out.. Constant adjusting to them being gone. You finally get a grip on them being gone, and they come home and you have to readjust to them being home and sometimes before you can completely adjust, they are out and in again... making it a never-ending cycle of adjusting and readjusting. It can become stressful for a wife, for the Sailor.. and even more so on the child of the service member- the Navy Junior, or Navy Brat as some call them.
My husband has been gone nearly 85% of the time or MORE since April with these workups. Thankfully, I work well under stress, but Yes, I admit.. there are times where it gets to be a lot to handle and a near break down can occur. I haven't broke down yet, and I'm going to try my hardest to stay as strong as I have for this. But this is just the beginning of this journey. I have only spent maybe 10-15 days with my husband since April- if that, because of his job.
The point of this isn't to argue "Navy Life".. the point of this blog is to hopefully open the minds of the people who are closed minded and try to one up other branches. It's the same for all of us. We all go through the same things. Our Husbands, the service members are all fighting battles of this war. They are ALL FIGHTING. They work together... whether you want to see it or not, they are all employed by the DOD, they have the same purpose... and more people need to see that.
Thank you Christina!!!!
ReplyDeleteI know that I have had many military wife from other branches say that my guy has it easy. Oh heck no!
When he is not on deployment, he is working, duty, or underway. He's on a small boy right now, but they go underway every month for at least two weeks. They miss birthdays, holidays, anniversaries.
My husband's job is not just his rate. He does a bit extra for his ship (I can't say what it is), but it is very dangerous. It worries me when he tells me about his "missions".
Our men also can go IA to Iraq and Afghanistan.
At my last command, one of my second classes went to Iraq for a year. He has been IA three times in 10 years. Not to mention the deployments on a regular ship.
And, our men aren't any safer on the water. There is nowhere to run if they are fired at.
Sorry to rant on your blog, but thank you for bringing this up.
Plain and simple, the military is a tough place.
Thank you for posting about this! I know nothing of the Navy but would never EVER say ____ has it easier than ____ because I know it is utter BS.
ReplyDeleteMy man is in the Army and he is in Korea right now. It sucks not being with him. We're getting married on the 5th of Sept. and hopefully we will stay in Korea for a year or two.
Anyhoot. Again, thanks for posting.
Can I just yeah that to everything you said?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better myself! All of our branches work their asses off and deserve to be respected for their sacrifices and hard work. I have had many people say to me, (including family members)"well at least your husband is safer because he's on a ship..." No, in fact in reality they are still in danger and we still have reason to worry about our men! They still go on deployments, and you are right...there is no R&R when they are on a ship. My husbands current deployment has been 8 months, so the 4-6 month "myth" can kiss my ass! Also my hubby's ship has personally dealt with issues of piracy and he has told me there have been some shady situations. Point being, anyone who's husband is in the military has it rough, and although each branch is different we all experience our men being gone and facing danger. I wish some people would stop trying to "one up" other wives and we could all realize we are going through the same things! Thanks so much for posting this!!! :)
ReplyDeleteWhen people tell me that we don't have it so bad b/c my husband isn't deployed for as long, it makes me so mad! Yes he is only deployed for about 3 mos at a time, but it is on a regular schedule, meaning that he is gone for at least 2 years out of each 4 year contract! And since he is on a submarine, we have no contact other than an occasional email while he is gone. None. That is not easy at all.
ReplyDeleteSo true! I think we all have it equally rough. Gone is gone, that is my motto these days. But I do have to say that BEFORE the war started up, our sailors were still deploying just as much as they do now, except no one noticed back then... well us families did!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Responses!
ReplyDeleteEveryone just needs to see that we have it have it hard, and that by our men being in the Navy, doesn't mean that they have it easy.. or that they party or are the stereotypical "drunken Sailor".
There is so much to the Navy, as there is to any branch, but Sadly.. the Navy isn't recognized for it. I actually had someone tell me that "The Navy just sits in a Tin can, partying it up.. they aren't the one's out there fighting for our freedom"
Of course, that upset me... And that's part of what triggered this blog.
Hey Christina! I am now following you on twitter. You made my blog. Check it out.
ReplyDeleteYou made some good points. My husband did a year long IA tour in Iraq. It seems like people are very unaware that the Navy has personnel that are boots on ground, too.
ReplyDeleteIt also seems like no one is aware of work ups! The ships are gone all the time doing exercises. Also, the ships have a huge inspection called INSURV every 5 years. My husband's ship is going through this inspection in the fall, and to prepare, they have been working 12+hour days 6 days a week ever since they returned from their 6 month deployment. So no, the Navy definitely does not have it easy!
I do think the Navy has more fun than the other branches though. The Navy does some interesting and fun deployments. I saw so many awesome places when I was in the Navy, and am very thankful I chose the branch of the service that I did. I had a lot of fun!