Family Life

[Byrd]

If this post is deemed inappropriate for the sub-forum, or forum in general, I extremely apologize. I take responsibility for every word typed.

Being the son of a LTC in the Army, I have been introduced to many aspects of the Army (and Special Forces specifically) that have both peaked my interest and concerned me. One of these aspects deals with the family life of a Quiet Professional. I know this is a very personal and subjective experience, as it is different in many ways for each individual.

Two families very close to mine had fathers who were Special Forces soldiers, and both divorced (I will not dare assume that their service has anything or everything to do with it). My father himself went to SFAS many years ago, but VW'd as a result of the realization of the sacrifice of family interaction he must make, a sacrifice he was not prepared to make with a wife, one child, and another on the way.

I recently stumbled across this article, written by a Recon Marine : http://www.jimmy-stare.com/all-in.html
It talks of the extreme commitment and sacrifices one must make to join "the Community," as he puts it, and one of those sacrifices is that of family.

I want to join the military, and my goal is Special Forces. However, before I make a definitive decision on how the next 4 years of my life will play out (I am currently a senior in high school), I want to be completely aware of the sacrifices I will be making daily to work towards and achieve my goal if I do indeed follow this path.

The article may or may not be relevant to Special Forces, but I found it incredibly interesting with a message of extreme importance. How do Special Forces soldiers, in specific, sacrifice in regards each day in terms of family?

[Pete]

It all depends - mostly on the wife.

A good wife can make Army life great - a bad one can make an individual's life a living hell.

I say "bad one" in that is she clingy, has to have you around, has no military wife friends, don't want any? Every time you deploy you'll have her crying for you to come back. Doesn't go to the family briefs but pesters the rear detachment that she doesn't know what's going on.

What do you want? Do you want to see little Byrd Jr take his first step or will a picture do?

[Byrd]

Originally Posted by Pete

It all depends - mostly on the wife.

A good wife can make Army life great - a bad one can make an individual's life a living hell.

I say "bad one" in that is she clingy, has to have you around, has no military wife friends, don't want any? Every time you deploy you'll have her crying for you to come back. Doesn't go to the family briefs but pesters the rear detachment that she doesn't know what's going on.

What do you want? Do you want to see little Byrd Jr take his first step or will a picture do?

Yes, it does seem as though the support and mental fortitude of the wife has a huge impact on the overall health of the marriage, especially when it comes to deployments.

[Joker]

As you are still in high school, DON’T GET MARRIED until you have been in SF for a few years, if you make it.