Soldier's Family: The Silent Ranks

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens
But I am in the Army in the ranks rarely seen

I have no rank upon my shoulders - salutes I do not give
But the military world is the place where I live

I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get
But my husband is the one who does, this I can not forget

I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line
But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind

My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man
And the call to serve his country not all can understand

Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free
My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me

I love the man I married, Soldiering is his life
But I stand among the silent ranks known as the Army Wife

Regardless of all the hardships, sacrifices, and dangers brought about by a soldier’s duty, still, it is such an honor to serve one’s country. What goes unnoticed and without applause is the undemanding people in their lives that make them strong and fight another day.

Despite the risks involved in their profession, being a soldier is not the most challenging job in the world. It is their wives who carry that burden. She is “the wind beneath his wings”

The soldier’s wife bears the burden of being a mother and a father to their children. She has to step-up and care for all the needs of their family and the upkeep of her home while constantly worrying about her husband’s safety.

A soldier’s wife job might not be as ‘dangerous’ but is equally difficult. She constantly worries about her soldier’s safety, constantly struggles to keep her house in order and assures her children that their father would be home soon.

A typical wife does experience the same struggles of everyday life. But the main difference is the typical wife does not relentlessly worry if her husband will come home alive. This kind of stress is handled by a soldier wife every day. Her soldier’s safety is always at the back of her mind as she lives her day-to-day tasks.

The children of a soldier are another unobserved people in their lives.

The children are the ones who must learn to sacrifice and comes to grip with the fact that he/she cannot be with their father constantly. But the child must accept this fact and makes the most of the time that they have with their father if and when he comes home.

A soldier would most likely miss important milestones in his child or children’s lives. It could be a daughter’s piano recital, a son’s basketball game, graduation or birthdays.

With technology, Soldiers have the advantage of mobile phones, video calling, and internet to keep in touch with their families.

But the most unrecognized or unacknowledged of all would be the soldier’s mother.

The soldier’s mother cared for him even before he was born. She was the first to sacrifice when her son made the decision to follow his calling as vanguard of the country.

Like all mothers, a soldier’s mother only wants the best for her son. She supports his son when he pursued his calling and encourages him to be the best soldier. She cries when her son decided to spread his wings and build a family of his own. She is proud to have raised a responsible man.

A wife, a child and a mother all plays a crucial role in a life of a soldier. They are the unseen force that makes a soldier risk his life to protect his family. They are the ones who give him strength and the courage to move on and to continue fighting.

A soldier's duty is not just a calling on his part, but a calling of his whole family, especially of their wives. It is a shared sacrifice between the husband, wife and their children.