A Salute to the Ladies Doing Their Job

These are tools of the trade for the military spouse

       I hope you observed Veteran’s Day. If you did not, you can combine my challenge and veterans and their wives. Today is E-card day. Send a card to as many friends as you have time, as well as veterans. Write something besides your name if you want them to respond to you and then total up your cards and we will add up how many cards we sent, and how many we received. See, I told you, the challenge could be combined with your thanks to a veteran and to their wives.

Our country honored United States’ veterans last Tuesday. I am here to honor their spouses. The veterans are the one who protect and defend the nation against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. They move in harm’s way and pretend it is normal. Yes, they need God’s help to do it. You know the spouses, too. They look like regular people, but sometimes their jobs are not. It includes protecting the home front against all enemies both foreign and domestic. That includes everything from lazy children who won’t do their chores to people who think their husband can’t hold a job, because the military keeps moving them. They pick up the kids after school, organize booster bake sales, as well as stay near Skype during deployment, and pray like the kids’ lives depended upon it. For it does, for those little buggers will push their mom to the edge of the pool whether their dad is gone or not.

             So here is a list of warriors and their wives. Their service expands from World War I to the war that now rages. I am sorry I cannot use their surnames, because some of them will never see their names in print. They will go about their lives and serve their country. They will be buried, and no one will know the difference, except there will be a difference. Warriors  have done their duty and beyond, and as well as their spouses. So I will say it again, when you send out your e-cards, send a couple to military wives.

            In honor of these wives, I humbly post this poem. It only touches the surface of the job the military wife does day after day, because her husband is called to be a warrior.

            Here’s to Anne, Becky, Cheryle, Diane, Eunice, Florence, and a million more whom I proudly served with and whom I delightfully call “my friend”.

A Tribute to the Warrior Wife

Love recruited the Warrior Wife for this assignment,

   Her voluntary enlistment lasts a lifetime—

       She knows no retreat for love of her Warrior Man keeps her here.

          Her swearing in came before God, friends and flowers.

               Her “I do”, given freely and without reservation, promised

                     Till death do they part, she and her Warrior Man.

        

Warrior wife’s survival kit includes laughter and a great respect for the power of prayer.

She speaks “militaryese” fluently with her family of military sisters.

While her anchor’s away, she taxis kids on three continents and on both sides of the road.

With artistic flair, she creates an address book that would make Picasso look sane.

An army of one, Warrior Wife destroys mounds of laundry which threaten the home front.

She holds her Warrior’s heart, and small hands, as well the American flag and a pet leash.

 Warrior Wife can fix a flat, sometimes,

               And kiss a scraped knee better every time.

                       Warrior Wife holds down a job part- time.

She makes friends and her famous fire-breathing chili lots of times.

                                                 She changes diapers a million times.

                                                              Regardless of duty station, she births babies in due time.

Warrior Wife’s pay day comes in the form of a candy bar.

Remote duty continues as the battle for the TV rages.

Their college student studies a thousand miles away on an unaccompanied tour.

Temporary duty finds her soaking in endearing emails and a hot bath.

Covert missions include her best “under covers” work.

Wild blue yonder orders do not scare her for she trusts the Supreme Commander.

And, at the end of the day Warrior Wife can be found on her watch,

            Continuing the cadence begun by previous sisters,

                    Waiting—Waiting at the kitchen door,

                             Waiting on some reunion- ready runway

                                          Waiting on some eternally mist-kissed dock,

                                                  Always waiting, waiting for her Warrior to return.

                                                                                                            --Frances L. Lewis

Names of warriors and their spouses. 

Directions: If you search for your name, use the first letter of your last name, then you and your mate's names.  

If you have known me for a hundred years and I forgot to put your name on the list, then come looking for me. I will ask your forgiveness, and we will recall a couple of good laughs we had together.

1.   A., Alan and Laura,  Army
2.       A., Charles and Linda, Air Force
3.       B., James and Sandy , Air Force
4.       B., Mike and Susan, Air Force
5.       B., Bill and Jamie, Air Force
6.       B., Charles and Brenda , Air Force
7.       B., Jeffrey and Jacquelyn, Air Force
8.       B., John and Mary, Air Force
9.       B., Kelly and Shannon Army
10.   B., Lee and Pam  Marines, Air Force
11.   B., Robert and Carla, Air Force
12.   C., Billy and Florence, Air Force
13.   C., Jesse and Nancy, Air Force
14.   C., John P. and Pen, Army
15.   C., Mark and Suzanne, Air Force
16.   C., Cal and Gilda, Air Force
17.   D., Bobby and Anne, Army
18.   D., Jim and Tarah, Air Force
19.   D., Jonathan and Tarah, Army
20.   D., Peter and Diane, Army
21.  D., Adam and Danielle
22.   E., Jason and Erin, Army
23.   E., Lee and Ursala, Army
24.   F., Bill and Linda, Marines
25.   F., Ray and Sandra  Army
26.  G., Scott and Jennifer, Air Force
27.   G., Becky and Wes, Army
28.   G., Charles., Army-Air Corps
29.   G., Delbert, Army
30.   G., Israel and Doneva, Army
31.   G., Jaime and Maricella, Army
32.   G., Jeff , Air Force
33.   G., Junior, Army
34.   G., Ken, Air Force
35.   G., Linda, Marines
36.   G., Roseanne, Air Force
37.   G., Steve and Martha U Army
38.   G., T. and Vanessa, Army
39.   G., Jamie and Ginger
40.   H., Alan and Melissa, Air Force
41.   H., Carl and Judy, Air Force
42.   H., Elizabeth, Air Force
43.   H., Ian and Angela, Air Force
44.   H., James and Eunice, Air Force
45.   H., Mary, Air Force
46.   H., Ray and Sandy,  Air Force
47.   H., Stanley, Air Force
48.   J., Malcolm and Sally, Air Force
49.   J., Justin and Katie, Army
50.   J., Robert and Kathy, Army
51.   J., Steve and April, Air Force
52.   K., Arnold and Connie Army
53.   K., Eddie and Stephanie, Army
54.   K., Scott and Cindy, Air Force
55.   L., Alan and Barbara
56.   L., Brian, Army
57.   L., Joe and Vicki, Air Force
58.   L., Bill and Collette, Air Force
59.   L., Ira and Ann, Air Force
60.   L., Josh and Melissa, Air Force
61.   L., Kent, Army
62.   L., Perry and Stacey, Air Force
63.   L., Phillip and Lori, Air Force
64.   L., Roger and Lynne, Army
65.  L., Steve, Marines
66.   M., Richard and Lonnie, Air Force
67.  M., Richard and Gisela, Air Force
68.  M., Craig and Jan, Air Force
69.   M., Daniel and Laura, Air Force  
70.   M., Neil and Martha, Air Force
71.  M., Peter and Kay, Air Force
72.   M., Peter Jr. and Janeen, Army
73.  M., Tom and Debbie, Air Force
74.   N. , Phil and Jessica, Army
75.   N., Trey and Ashley, Army
76.   O., Jim and Ann, Air Force
77.   O., Arthur, Marines
78.  P., “Pat” and Christina, Air Force
79.   P., Randy and Tammi , Army
80.   R., Joe and Amy, Marines
81.   R., Joshua and Lauren, Army
82.   R., Robert and Elizabeth, Air Force
83. R., Wes and Marti, Air Force
84.  R., Gary and Jill, Air Force
85.  S., Aaron and Andrea, Marines
86.  S., Alex and Sara, Air Force
87.   S., Carl, Air Force
88.   S., Cush and Cheryle, Army
89.   S., Duane, Air Force
90. S., David and Colleen, Navy
91. S., Jesse, Army
92.   S., John and Tonya, Army
93.  S., Jared, Navy
94.   S., Richard and Doreen, Air Force
95.  S., Richard and Linda, Air Force
96.  S., Thomas and Tish, Air Force
97.  S., James and Lisa, Army
98.  T., Mike and Ofelia, Air Force
99.  T., Robert and Christi, Army
100. U. Byron, Air Force  
101.  V. ., Jim and Denise, Air Force
102.   W., Edward, Sr., Army
103.  W., Howard and Laura, Army
104.  W., Phillip and Susan, Air Force
105.  W., Timothy and Kathy, Army
106. W., Mike and Michele, Air Forcc

These warriors have given over 1600 years of service to our country, and the years their spouses double that. 

Thank you for your service to your country, Warriors and Spouses.  America