25. Spouses are no longer “required” to volunteer their time in order to further a service member’s career. Many years ago it was required; times have certainly changed. Still, the military spouse community boasts a higher level of volunteerism than many other communities!
26. Many more families are choosing to geo-bach, meaning that they live in different locations than their service members for extended periods of time, instead of always picking up and moving when orders are issued. Some argue this is a positive, and others will argue that it is harmful to the family. Good or bad, it is much more prevalent now than in previous years.
27. Combined Spouse Clubs are becoming more of the norm, and Officer or Enlisted Spouse clubs are becoming less popular.
28. Heels are not required. Spouses from previous generations report of dress codes that required them to wear a skirt and heels in order to shop at the commissary. We are glad that is no longer protocol.
29. However, during that same era, some commissaries didn’t allow children. Spouses report having to drop their kiddos off at a daycare center before being allowed to shop. Some days, we think that sounds like a fantastic way to get the grocery shopping completed!
30. The idea that if “the military wanted you to have a spouse, they would have issued you one” is fading into the background. Most military leadership recognize the importance of a strong family support system.
31. Privatized housing. The large majority of military installations have switched to privatized housing in recent years. There are differing opinions about the value of this move.
32. The operational tempo and frequent deployment rotations have increased the stress level for many spouses. We are seeing a rise in mental health issues and suicides among military family members.
33. Despite this, we have also seen many organizations and programs emerge to help military families deal with the stressors of military life. Help is available!
34. In the past, spouses did not have access to many of the resources available to the service member in regards to transitioning out of the military. Today, spouses are encouraged to attend many of the classes and workshops given before a service member leaves military service.
35. The sharing of information, experiences and resources has exploded in recent years. There are many military spouse bloggers, websites and online communities that offer support for virtually every single issue we face. Pun absolutely intended.
What items would you add to this list?
Collaboration by: Erin Whitehead, Morgan Slade, Ashley Broadway-Mack, Jennifer McDonald, Stacy Huisman, Ashley Marie, Rachel Graven, Ashley Frisch, Alicia Hinds Ward, Rebekah Sanderlin, and MJ Boice
Photo Credit: Courtney May Photography
