If You Give A Mom A Soldier . . .
She may laugh, cry, & everything in between, but one thing’s for sure . . .
. . . Her Life Will Never Be The Same.
- She will very quickly learn many Army Acronyms, the most important being OPSEC
OPSEC – OPERATIONS SECURITY: Basically, be careful what you say: no details, no positions, no leave & return dates, etc. Please keep OPSEC in mind when posting anything online!!! (OPSEC: A Guide For Family and Friends)(this link does work, you just have to scroll down a bit for it to load – go figure – lol)
Crazy Army Acronyms
ACU: All Climate Uniform (digital combat and work uniform)
(a.k.a. Army Combat Uniform)
AO: Area of Operation
AOC: Area of Concentration (professional job description)
APFT: Army Physical Fitness Test (mandatory level of fitness to remain in the
service)
(a.k.a. PT: Physical Training)
AT: Annual Training
AWOL: Absence Without Leave
Bird Colonel: O6
Boots on the ground: Time served overseas on deployment, starts upon arrival
Briefing: Factual update on current situation
Butterbars: Second Lieutenant
Coasties: Nickname for Coast Guard service members
CONUS: Continental US; See Garrison: A
military post, especially one that is permanently established
(aka HOME!)
CSH (pronounced CASH): Combat Support Hospital
Deployment: Being sent on orders to serve on active duty.
(Re-Deployment: Returning to PDS-Permanent Duty Station)
(Funny Note: Randy & I both thought Re-Deployment meant going back to Fight Zone,
which makes sense, but as Randy says, ‘Yeah, another one of those Army things that
doesn’t make sense!” lol)
Debriefing: Discussion post-incident that focuses on fact
Devil Dogs: Nickname for Marines
FOB: Forward Operating Base
Fox Alpha: F.A., short for “you better believe it.” (a.k.a. Fu**’n A)
Fraternizing: Forbidden socialization between enlisted and officers or anyone
who is under someone else’s command
FRGs: Family Readiness Group, support group for all military families
FST (pronounced FAST): Forward Surgical Team,
small unit of about 15 doctors, nurses, and medics
who deploy into the areas of fighting to do
emergency patch-ups and stabilizations, so that the
injured troop can be transported to a higher level of
care. They mobilize fast and work fast, so the name
suits them.
Garrison: A military post, especially one that is permanently
established
(aka HOME!)
Groundhogs Day: From the movie, meaning the days
all seem to be exactly the same
(a.k.a. Same Shit,
Different Day)
Grunts: Nickname for low level, front line guys or new
recruits
Hooah: Shout of recognition (thought to be from the
acronym HUA—Heard, Understood, Acknowledged)
(While in Iraq, The Boy's Unit exchanged ”Hooah“
for “Warhorse
Sir” as identified with 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry
Division, Warhorse Brigade)
LMAO: Laughing My Ass Off
("Hooah" reminiscent of the Wal
Mart Cheer; Imagining The Boy participating in such an activity – OMG LMAO
Everytime I think of it!!!)
IED: Improvised Explosive Device (homemade
bombs, getting bigger every day)
In country: Being in the location of OCONUS
deployment
In theater: Being in the location of OCONUS war
deployment
Jarheads: Nickname for Marines
Leathernecks: Nickname for Marines
Light Colonel: Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) O5
LMAO: Laughing My Ass Off
LT: Nickname for Lieutenant
Medevac: medical evacuation helicopter
MOS: Military Occupational Specialty (job title)
MP: Military Police
MRE: Meals Ready to Eat
MWR: Morale, Welfare, and Recreation department
NBC: Nuclear Biological Chemical
NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer
O dark thirty: Early in the morning
OBC: Officer Basic Course
OCS: Officer Candidate School
OCONUS: Outside Continental US
OIC: Officer in Charge
PCS: Permanent Change of Station (transfer to
another base)
PDS: Permanent Duty Station
PMCS: Preventative Maintenance Checks and Service
POTUS: President of the United States
PT: Physical Training (physical fitness)
Redeployment: Returning home from deployment
RPG: Rocket Propelled Grenade (usually a shoulder-held launcher)
Sandbox: Iraq and sometimes Afghanistan
Troops: Soldiers, Marines
Weapon: Word used for gun, knife, rifle
Wiskey Tango Foxtrot: WTF, as in, “What in the
world…?”
(see below – lol)
WTF, as in, “What in the
world…?”
(a.k.a.What the F**K)
- She might break down & cry when she gets that final text from her boy that reads “I have to turn my phone off now but I want you to know I love you very much” as he pulls into the gate for Basic Training.
- She might feel indescribable pangs of angst when the reality sinks in that what used to be normal (& always available) methods of communication have been severed with her boy for periods of time that seem to go on for eternity.
- She might beam with gratitude that her boy does, in fact, know how to use snail mail.
- She might be shocked at the level of communication & depth of emotion that is expressed when snail mail is the ONLY choice for communication - far exceeding that of any previously “normal” options.
- She might hold her breath for a very long time because she’s not sure her boy will CHOOSE to “make it” (No doubt he CAN make it, but WILL he?)
- She might experience an indescribable, inconceivable range of emotions she never, ever saw coming.
- She might feel so completely isolated within her own circle of friends because she has N0 One that can even begin to relate to her New Normal.
- She might learn that you can put the soldier into the boy, but you can’t take the boy out of the soldier (a messy locker even in the Army!)
- She might shake her head to the point of appearing to have Parkinson’s Disease at this inconceivable turn of events.
- She might experience Proud Mom Moments when she sees that her boy actually did pick up a few good organizational Skillz along the way – AND applied them!!! (Major Happy Dance)
- She might feel conflicted at the thought of her boy camping outdoors when she knows her boy despises the Great Outdoors (Do I laugh at the irony, or do I cry at the extreme discomfort he must be experiencing, & my helplessness to change this situation, or am I bemused at this Character Building situation?
- She might laugh & wonder how the boy who refuses to use a Port-A-Potty is now, as a soldier, left with no other alternative.
- She might laugh & shake her head, yet again, as the Germ-o-phobic boy is now confined to extremely germy situations (“Mom, it’s soooo gross – EVERYTHING is covered with germs!!! Don’t touch the handrail, or anything else – ew ew ew!”
- She might laugh hysterically that her boy is the reason that the Hand-Sanitizer dispenser now has to be refilled EVERYDAY! (“Thankfully they at least have hand-sanitizer!!!” says he – lol)
- She might feel indescribable pangs of angst that the ability to communicate is OFTEN extremely severed, for periods of time that seem to go on for eternity, even after Basic Training, & Especially during deployments.
- She might laugh at her own self when she decides she really doesn’t care if she looks like a crazy person talking to herself with a blue light flashing by her ear, pretty much 24/7, on the off chance that The Boy might call & she is bound & determined to ALWAYS be available.
- She might learn to sleep on her cell phone.
- She might decide that sleep is over-rated.
- She might feel indescribable sympathy for anyone within earshot that is bombarded not only with her story, but also demanding-ish that they send a letter to “The Boy”; a request that is made almost impossible (hopefully) for them to NOT act on since she is shoving a packet at them with a pre-stamped & addressed envelope, a piece of stationary, and a business card with his pic & mailing addy for future reference.
(Could she really be this crazy??? YES!!!)
- She might feel indescribable sympathy for the poor lady that unfortunately ended up across the aisle from The Hysterical Mom who was on a flight back to see her boy prior to his first deployment.
- She might feel indescribable gratitude for the Starbucks napkin & glass of wine handed to her by the poor lady that unfortunately ended up across the aisle from The Hysterical Mom who was on a flight back to see her boy prior to his first deployment.
- She might discover that walking around in a daze & on the brink of hysteria has become her New Normal, in the beginning, at least.
- She might slowly realize that the initial hysteria has gradually lessened over time as “The Army Way” is an inconceivably perfect fit for The Boy (“Don’t worry mom. I’m a Tank, remember?)
- Her heart may swell with pride to the point of bursting over her (directionless since high school 4 years ago) boy’s decision to become The Best Soldier He Could Be in the US Army!
- She might Shake Her Head Everyday (to the point of appearing to have Parkinson’s Disease) at this inconceivable turn of events.
- She might think that Life As She Knew It is OVER – & she would be correct.
( I realize there are some repeats in this list, but I think of those things every single day!)
I Am a Proud/Crazy Army Mom!
This is my story & I want to share. I want to share my totally unexpected & inconceivable foray into Army life as “The Mom.” I want to share some things I’ve learned along the way. I want to provide a community of support & understanding for all Proud and/or Crazy Army Moms – where we all “Get It.” I want to provide a place for you to share your own story. I want to provide a place for you to share what you have learned along the way.You are Officially Invited to join me on this
Proud/Crazy Army Mom Adventure!
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT OP SEC IS A MAJOR CONCERN SO BE WISE IN ANY INFORMATION YOU SHARE. (Do not let OP SEC concerns keep you from sharing information – I will preview all comments before they are officially posted. I am by no means an expert, but I do have inside sources for advice
This is something I saw that was funny. Some doesn’t apply to mothers, but I can say that as “The Woman” most of it applies to me (especially the legs thing…ewww)
You know your soldier is deployed when…
1. You wear old sweatpants and sweatshirts to bed.
2. You can watch whatever you want on TV without arguing with him first.
3. You get up in the middle of the night to check your e-mail or you stay on the computer all night waiting for them to get on.
4. You sleep with your cell phone incase he calls in the middle of the night.
5. You love watching cute love movies because it reminds you of all the cute things he does when he’s home.
6. You haven’t shaved your legs in weeks.
7. The mailman knows you because you are always out waiting for him to come.
8. You start paying close attention in class when the words “military” or “Iraq” are mentioned.
9. You suddenly have an obsession with anything military related.
10. You see someone wearing an army, navy, or USMC shirt and you get this overwhelming urge to talk to them.
11. You make friends with strangers online just because they are in the same situation as you and are the only ones that can truly understand what you are going through.
12. You can’t decide what to wear when you meet him at the airport because his flight comes in at a ridiculous hour in the morning and you want to look cute, but not too cute, because your cutest outfit you want to save for your first full day together.
13. Your first Christmas together is…. apart.
14. You find yourself checking your e-mail every fifteen minutes. (hah more like every 5!!!)
15. You know all the time differences between where you are and Iraq, Ireland, Kuwait, Italy, Germany, Korea, and every state in the U.S.
16. The highlight of your day is getting a letter that was mailed a month ago.
17. And if you don’t get a letter, the highlight of your day is writing him a letter that you know he will be able to read in a month.
18. You realize that HOMECOMING is so much more than a football game.
19. You want to hit any happy couple you see together.
20. You get excited about “unknown” phone numbers calling you
21. You’ve exhausted every idea a brain could have of what to put in a box.
22. You see a “support our troops” sticker on a car when you are stuck in traffic and you find yourself guessing about who they know that is deployed and thinking about their entire life story.
23. When the clock says 11:11, you find yourself wishing for the same thing every time: a call from your soldier.
24. You get excited when its only 9 months until you see your soldier instead of 12!
25. You can’t stand girls that talk about missing their boyfriends who live a few hours away. You just want to yell “drive and go see them them” because if you had the chance, you would jump on the first plane to go see your soldier no matter how far it is.
26. You don’t know what teams are on top for football, basketball, etc.
27. You wouldn’t dream of walking out of the house without the cell phone and every number you have is forwarded to that cell.
28. You find yourself randomly crying from just looking at a picture of the two of you together.
29. You find yourself randomly crying and you sometimes have no idea why.
30. You stay on the Internet for hours searching for anything and everything about the military.
31. You talk to your friends about him so much that they know his full name, birthday and even his favorite color.
32. You are reading this and smiling and nodding because you know it’s so true!
33. You sleep with his favorite blanket so often it’s starting to smell less like him and more like your perfume
I enjoy this website very much. Like the header says, it has made me laugh, cry, and I have been inspired not only by the stories, but by your courage to share. Thank you so much.
Hi Lainey, Glad to hear my blog had made a difference for you.
Love Love Love it! Love you, Army Mom
Glad you like, since you, my dear friend, have been my rock since becoming an Army Mom, & you already know all this crazy stuff! And, you still like me – lol
As a gramdma and mother-in-law I have had a few learning experiences. First, don’t send cute, musical cards to your soldier. It only causes him/her unnecessary grief from combat buddies on their end.
Second, how to support you army mother daughter during her stressful, obsessive periods without worrying yourself sick about her mental health and heart ache. I know all military families survive this, and we will too.
Well . . .
“It only causes him/her unnecessary grief from combat buddies on their end.”
Sometimes I just can’t help myself – lol
. . . No, Most of the time I can’t help myself – just too darn tempting to dish a little (or a lot of) grief – I view it as Distraction Therapy!
Do you have a Facebook page or Twitter? Would love to follow you there, I’m on my iPhone and love reading your stuff!
Hi Marty. I do have a Facebook page, but . . . I don’t post anything on this topic, or any other for that matter – I’m just an occasional lurker – lol.
As I mentioned in my introduction post, I really don’t have anyone in my circle of friends that can even remotely relate to my situation, which is why I started this blog.
I am in the process of gathering specific links for resources, as well as various stories from the many sources that have been inspiring to me during this process. The stories I’m most excited to share are the LOL stories My Soldier tells me – he is quite the character, always makes me laugh.
My plan for this weekend it to (have my husband – lol) figure out how to send an email update to the registered users of my site. If you register (there’s a link at the bottom of the page), that would be a way for you to track my postings.
Glad you enjoy!
Thanks for sharing such personal experiences.
You’re welcome!
I adore your wordpress web template, where ever did you get it?
Thanks for spending time on the computer writing. This is obviously a very emotional journey and I’m glad you chose to share with others.
Hi Roxie, You’re welcome, yes it is, and I will be happy if it is helpful to even one other Army Mom who can relate.
Hi LadyDel, this website is actually based on a wordpress template which I customized with my own digital creations. Thanks for asking
This article is blue ribbon material as far as I’m concerned … very interesting content.
Thank you!
Thank you for this post. It was just what I was looking for.
You’re welcome. Hope it was helpful.
I’d like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this post. In reality your inventive writing skills have inspired me to begin my very own blog now.
You’re welcome. Always a compliment to be able to inspire someone else. Best of luck to you on your blogging journey.
Your article was just what I needed. It’s made my day!
As a fellow Army mom, you’ve helped me sort things out. Thank you.
You are welcome. Best of luck to you with your Army Mom journey – oh what a ride, a crazy roller coaster of a ride – lol ish.
Amazing! You have had some wonderful comments, now the whole world will know the talent we have been blessed with in our family.
Thank you much.
It’s the second time when i’ve seen your site. I can understand lots of hard work has gone in to it. It’s actually great.