Military Spouse Appreciation Day
by Sue Hoppin, MOAA
It is a day that is set aside each year to recognize and honor the contributions and sacrifices of military spouses. In 1984, then President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the Friday before Mother’s Day to be designated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Since then, each President and senior military leaders have echoed the sentiments expressed by President Reagan. In addition to the public support and recognition of these leaders, events are commonly sponsored at installations across the nation and around the world to recognize the importance of our unsung heroes.
Military spouses, past and present, are an extraordinary group of individuals. While their husbands or wives took an oath and signed on a dotted line when they joined the military, spouses were enlisted through the back door with the vows they took on their wedding day. In choosing their mates, they inadvertently chose their way of life. While others have the luxury of decorating their homes knowing they will be there for the duration, military spouses decorate their homes hoping they will be there for three years. While others slowly gather a network of hairdressers, churches, dentists and doctors; military spouses hit the ground running. They know they have a limited time to set down roots before it’s time to pack up again.
For many people, the constant moving would discourage them from connecting with the local community; for the military spouse, the opposite is true. Adversity just makes them stronger. What some people view as obstacles, they take on as challenges to be overcome. With only eighteen months to three years at most duty stations, they view it as a limited time to make friends and leave a mark on the community. They jump in wholeheartedly into the PTA, church and community. Every once in a while, they may glance at the diplomas on the wall and wonder what if. Then reality comes crashing in and they realize that they are the only constant for their children while mom or dad is deployed or remote, and they remain steadfast in their conviction that they are doing the right thing.
They come from diverse backgrounds, hailing from places such as: Texas, Florida, Germany or Japan, but the one thing they have in common is their unfailing support of their military husband or wife and the mission of the United States military. The husbands and wives of all our men and women in uniform worldwide deserve our thanks. We salute your strength, patriotism and support. You make the mission possible.