10 Years Ago: A Woman Veteran

Ten years ago, this month, I left my last job. It’s been that long since I worked for a real paycheck—hard to believe. But I was pregnant with Izzy and unable to do a lot of the things my boss needed me to do, like guard an alleged domestic abuser, run for any length of time, and deploy to a war zone again. After 10 years, you’d think I’d be used to the stay-at-home, regular life.

I’m not.

Joining the Army was one of the best things I ever did with my life, and the time I spent in the service will never really leave me. From Fort Jackson to Fort Bragg, Turkey to Iraq, the people I met and the experiences I had made for some very amazing memories.

I still have my “smart book” from basic training, complete with notes.

My starched uniforms still hang in the closet, right above my boots.

Maybe this is normal.

Maybe I just have a hard time letting go.

There are not a lot of female veterans out there—barely more than two million, at last count.

There are even less of us married to service members. We face unique challenges, such as using our own G.I. Bill, but running out of money before we get our degree due to so many PCS’s (College #6, baby!). Or smaller things, like explaining to the neighbor why we salute during “Retreat.”

In the decidedly non-traditional life of the military spouse, the female veteran is an extra helping of non-traditional. After carrying a rifle, it’s a bit of a jump to carrying babies.

But don’t think we’re all that different. We might have a leg up on the jargon, the training, and what the food tastes like, but for the most part, we just keep on keepin’ on like everyone else.

We just need a little bit more closet space for our combat boots.

Are you a woman veteran? What are your thoughts? Jump in a leave a comment.

Photo credit: That’s me on the right. Back in 2004, it was okay to wear sunglasses on a hat. #outofregs #likeaboss