Hello Everyone:
I'm new on the boards as well but not new to the CF. I grew up with a father in the Navy and a mother in the RCMP. All four grandparents served during WWII. I did my 20 in the Navy, DH is still serving (Army) and we have many a warm fuzzy dinner conversation as to which element is the far better one. We have a daughter and son-in-law that are both Navy (see, I won that conversation!) and 2 wonderful granddarlings now.
I see a lot of postings from younger spouses, partners, GFs and SOs asking how does one manage when the partner goes away. I recall very fondly a time in my younger days of complaining bitterly to my Grandmothers and mother about my DH being away for a year. My mother who managed quite nicely to raise my brothers and I as well as hold down a career as a GD officer in the wilds of northern Canada while my dad sailed the seas for 9 months a year, just snorted. My Grandmother on the other hand had lots to say. I did naively think she was going to give me a heartwarming rendering of home fires burning brightly etc. She said, "Your grandfather left for Singapore in 1941 and I never saw him again until 1946. So when your husband has been gone for over 5 years and you've not heard from him nor even know whether he is alive or dead and you've worked to pay the bills and keep food on the table because his allotment stopped and every night you tell your children to pray that daddy is safe and you try to believe that as well, then and only then do you have the right to complain about how long your man is away for, until then keep your own counsel and do what you have to do for you and your children, letters and phone calls...bah".
After that, I never did see the shorter deployments as a hardship.
Looking forward to having a few helmets on the table times and some laughs.
