Guard Spouses Aren’t “Real” Army Wives?

Richard · 02-11-2012, 08:29

As if there aren't enough issues to deal with out there - I'm sure glad I don't have to deal with this mess...but there are some interesting responses to her position.

And so it goes...

Richard

Guard Spouses Aren’t “Real” Army Wives?
SpouseBuzz @Mil.Com, 10 Feb 2012

An Army spouse blogger in Vermont has gotten the military blogging community in a hot tizzy after writing a post stating that, her in opinion, Army National Guardsmen are not “by any stretch of the imagination” really Soldiers, and Army National Guard wives are not really Army wives.

Update: After making major edits to her statements Feb. 10, the author appears to have completely killed her blog site.

Her reasoning, in a nut shell, is this: Active Duty Soldiers deploy, come home, put back on their uniforms, return to an Active Duty life. But National Guardsmen come home, take off their uniforms, go back to civilian life. Yes, they drill on a regular schedule, but that doesn’t make them day in and out Soldiers. Yes, Guardsmen suffer from PTSD issues … but so do a lot of civilians from a lot of non-combat related issues.

And if Guardsmen aren’t really Soldiers, their spouses aren’t Army wives, she says.

Feb. 10 Update: The commander of her husband, who she refers to as “Hubs,” has issued a public apology for “Hub’s” comment in defense of his wife’s position. Go here for all the details.

Her husband, who she married in August (according to her blog), has deployed twice in the past and is currently a recruiter based out of Vermont. It is the Vermont National Guard spouses, in particular, that she is taking issue with. She indicates that she is in the dark as to why Guard spouses get so upset about this characterization. In her words: “When you try to explain this to a Guard spouse, they get defensive, and often times throw a huge fit. ”

(cont'd) http://spousebuzz.com/blog/2012/02/g...C=sm_spbuzz.nl

JJ_BPK · 02-11-2012, 08:55

Is this what you full-timers call a career limiting ground engagement??? I think this young Jedi's CO does..

I hope she's a good cook..

Quote:

Command Apologizes for Anti-Guard Comments

The commander of a Vermont-based Army recruiting station issued a public apology this afternoon for the remarks made by a soldier there on an inflammatory, viral blog post written by that soldier’s wife that sent the online spouse community into a whirlwind.

“You are correct about wives not being under the prevue of the command. I assure you that the Soldier in question is,” Cpt. Allan-Jay Catindig, commander of the Burlington, Vt. based recruiting station wrote in a message on Facebook. “There has been a face to face counseling session with this Soldier as to the responsibilities of the freedoms and rights that our Constitution has so given to this Nation.”

The blog post, which appeared on the blog “Army Wife, Army Life,” gave a list of reasons why National Guardsmen are not real soldiers and why their spouses are not real Army wives. Her reasons, which we detailed and discussed here and here, included her perceptions of the Guards’ deployment tempo and claims of PTSD issues. She has since edited her blog to remove some of her previous claims as well as all past posts and photos of herself and her family.

Update: Since this post went live the blogger appears to have completely killed her site.

The problem with the soldier, however, started when he responded publically on the post to the spouse community’s lash back. The 417 word comment, which has since been removed from the post, both defended her right to say what she wants as a private citizen and her opinions on the Guard verses Active Army distinctions.

“What most of you don’t understand, since you are National Guard, related to one, or married to one, is that it really bothers any active duty, full time, regular Army soldier to be compared to National Guard,” he wrote. “Most people do not know who we are, or what the Regular Army is about. A lot of people actually believe the National Guard is the one and only army for the U.S. This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I make sure to educate people who think this. My wife was doing the same thing by writing the blog, in a ranting kind of way.”

While the soldier was correct that his spouse has the freedom to say what she wants, he misunderstood his right to do the same, Catindig wrote. Catindig assured Guard members that the opinions on the blog were not the opinions of the recruiting station.

“In response to your concern, I would truly like to say this is not the command climate that we pursue nor agree with. We respect and honor all military personnel with whom we serve that has stood and swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We are all brothers and sisters in arms,” he wrote. “We apologize for the actions that one person has brought it up on himself, and we want to ensure you that this is NOT the actions or the climate of this command.”

Read more: http://spousebuzz.com/blog/2012/02/c...#ixzz1m5JuMkaZ
SpouseBUZZ.com

SLVGW360 · 02-11-2012, 09:07

Sneetch Syndrome?

Surgicalcric · 02-11-2012, 11:47

I know of quite a few NG wives who spend more time away from their "not real soldiers" than AD wives do.

Ignorance...

Crip

Gypsy · 02-12-2012, 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surgicalcric

I know of quite a few NG wives who spend more time away from their "not real soldiers" than AD wives do.

Ignorance...

Crip

Yes.

I'll be sure to pass this along to all my NG Army wives in the local Troop I support.

P36 · 02-12-2012, 14:31

Not sure how one defines "real" but my security team leader in Iraq was killed during our rotation. He was 36th ID, Texas National Guard. I'd say he and his widow were pretty darn real.

Rip Shawn.

Dozer523 · 02-12-2012, 20:35

National Guard Wives are prettier then Active Duty Wives.

**The Reaper** · 02-12-2012, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dozer523

National Guard Wives are prettier then Active Duty Wives.

Oh, shit....

TR

Dozer523 · 02-13-2012, 17:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Oh, shit....

TR

it t'was in pink

VAKEMP · 02-13-2012, 18:11

Quote:

It is the Vermont National Guard spouses, in particular, that she is taking issue with. She indicates that she is in the dark as to why Guard spouses get so upset about this characterization. In her words: “When you try to explain this to a Guard spouse, they get defensive, and often times throw a huge fit. ”

I'm guessing they get upset because she has no idea what she is talking about.

I was AD USMC and had the honor of serving alongside B Co 2-136 soldiers of the Minnesota ARNG in Iraq in 06-07.

Maybe this soldier's wife needs to spend a little more time learning about the sacrifices made by those NG soldiers and their spouses. Here's my contribution:
http://ericiniraq.scrappydog.com/200...r-sad-day.html

Red Flag 1 · 02-13-2012, 18:32

"An Army spouse blogger in Vermont has gotten the military blogging community in a hot tizzy after writing a post stating that, her in opinion, Army National Guardsmen are not “by any stretch of the imagination” really Soldiers, and Army National Guard wives are not really Army wives."

Read more: http://spousebuzz.com/blog/2012/02/g...#ixzz1mJMq9SjJ
SpouseBUZZ.com

This is from a Vermont spouse, rather sheltered at that. When John Kerry looses his seat Senate from Mass, he could well retire in Vermont as " John Kerry, King For Life". Pretty much matches his random, in depth thoughts of military life as well.

RF 1

Richard · 02-13-2012, 19:10

So...what channel do I tune in for "Real Wives of the National Guard"...

Richard

Dozer523 · 02-13-2012, 23:07

She married "Hub" six months ago? Sometime AFTER he he returned from the latest deployment? So she wasn't married to him then.
MRFL sez,
"Until you've 'kept the homefires burning' while your (state your Branch here)Soldier's been deployed you don't know what your talking about, sis."

Red Flag 1 · 02-14-2012, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

So...what channel do I tune in for "Real Wives of the National Guard"...

Richard

TLC; right after "Fashion Emergency".....just give it some time, they are bound to bite.

RF 1

Sohei · 02-14-2012, 20:10

Makes one wonder if she didn't get involved in some sort of "verbal altercation" with a NG spouse and then utilize her blog to prove her point as though she had something to prove.

Regardless of the reason, her statements were obviously given in complete ignorance and probably "ego driven" for some reason unknown to us.