Should I Stay, or Should I Go?
Weighing the Geographic Bachelor Option
(I feel like I need to preface this article with a warning: This topic is sensitive and may trigger extreme opinions and emotion.)
As a military spouse, the thought of choosing to live separately from my spouse seemed unimaginable. During our twelve-year marriage, we’ve experienced excessive amounts of time apart with multiple deployments, countless schools, and way too many trainings—the idea of staying behind never seemed like a choice. However, as we enter the last phase of his military career, our focus has begun to shift from our present situation to our future stability.
Modern Military Spouses
The image of the military spouse has evolved over the last fifty years. Long ago, military spouses were thought to be the women who kept home fires burning while their soldiers went off to war. Today’s military spouses include men and women from all walks of life, many with successful careers of their own. Military spouses represent professionals including doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, and entrepreneurs. So, when PCS orders come, they must consider not only their spouse’s career, but their own as well. For professionals faced with a permanent change of station, sometimes the answer is geo-baching.
By Amanda Marksmeier
As a military spouse, the thought of choosing to live separately from my spouse seemed unimaginable. During our twelve-year marriage, we’ve experienced excessive amounts of time apart with multiple deployments, countless schools, and way too many trainings—the idea of staying behind never seemed like a choice. However, as we enter the last phase of his military career, our focus has begun to shift from our present situation to our future stability.