Wonder Hubby is away, it has been a while since his last deployment that was 15 month long. I wish I could say after 12 years I am used to it but it seems not. Else I am just taking it a bit harder because of hormones. Our youngest is after all only 2 months old. So Husband is off on a grand adventure, a very big one for his career. He is going from an E7 to a Warrant Officer if all goes as planned.
I knew that Warrant Officer Candidate School would be hard but nothing really repaired me for the lack of communication. I wish there was a website that would have explained it all to me before and could remind me now about what to expect and what he is going through.
He has not been able to call but I am in hopes that it will change soon, I read after the first 2-3 weeks the candidates get to have a little phone time. At this point I wish he would just have time to write home and let me know how things are. I did however get a short e-mail letting me know he is ok, PT is the hardest of his life, and he will call when he is allowed to. I look forward to it more than I can say. Him being away is hard, but the lack of calls is the hardest. I deal better when I can at least talk with him a few minutes everyday. Alas, this is not what is better for me, but for him.
So my post is to put forth on the internet some support for WOCS wives that might come across this and need to know they are not alone. It is hard. The lack of calls and letter and information on our husbands is hard. They call it the thousand dollar dot on top of it all because it is a costly school, all the things that need to be perfect/replaced and all the small things they need to guy there. $100 for laundry they do not have time to do, then money for all the things the class buys plus a Fancy dinner and alterations. All worth it, but one needs to be ready, again not something I had been warned about! My husband took money from our account, I am glad he could but what if I had needed that to feed the kids? No call to check on our finances first. What a nightmare this could be for someone else right now and if he keeps doing it, it will be for us and he will not even know it. It feels like a test for me, not just him. I write to him near daily but I am not sure he has time to even read them if he is getting them. I stay positive of course, he has to focus on his job but I think it might help to feel connected to home, I know he said it did in the schools he has gone to before. None where as hard on us this one though. It will be over in a hand full weeks and life will again change. Exciting and hard and wonderful. Most things worth doing are hard.
Thank you for writing this…as I wrote yet another email to my husband and sighed. Wandered our house that doesn’t feel like home yet here in Enterprise. Wishing I could tell him how I arranged everything. Checking my email to see if I have anything. Making sure my phone volume is on loud. And then finally telling myself that I’m being ridiculous. This short period of time being apart is nothing compared to his three combat tours…but I miss him.
Krista, your not being ridiculous though! Each time our husbands are away it is different, it comes with it’s own challenges. WOCS though was a special kind of difficult, one I will never forget. I hope the time goes by quickly for you. If you need to chat, please e-mail me! littlecrunchy at gmail!
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m going thru that now and it’s so hard. I’m longing for a phone call. Haven’t heard from him in 2 weeks. I don’t even know how he’s doing. Can’t wait for this go be over.
My husband have been through so much training in all his military years but that one was the hardest on his family. I hope you get a call soon! The good news is that if your husband was not ok, you would get a call so in this case like so many others, no news is good news. So hard to handle though! Be extra kind to yourself now while dealing with the lack of contact! Time to try and spoil and distract yourself!
I just found out that my husband was accepted and we are now awaiting orders. I have a question, do you get to PCS with him before he does the 6 weeks or do you have to wait until after? Any other advice on what to expect would be appreciated too! It’s nice to read your experiences and understand what to expect and that it will be okay to feel what I am feeling.
I know some things have changed and situations can be different but for us there was no PCS orders till after the course. The kids and I could not move closer to be with him. I have to say for me it was harder than boot camp, less contact home even. Perhaps with husband having been in so long I had just gotten soft and so didn’t expect that. Wishing you all the best. My husband very much loves being a Warrant Officer.
Thanks so much!