The Struggles of Being a Coastie Wife

Yes, the Coast Guard is a branch of military. Yes, they do go overseas. Yes, they have deployments called patrols. Yes, we do not go through deployments like other branches, but we do go through them. And finally, yes, our kids miss their parents when their gone too.

1. "The Coast Guard is not a branch of military." : The Coast Guard is one of our nation’s five military services. Our core values—honor, respect, and devotion to duty, are the guiding principles used to defend and preserve the United States of America. (Credit from GoCoastGuard.com)
2. "Your spouse doesn't deploy." : You're right. They technically do not deploy but guess what? They go on patrol. Patrol can last any time from days to months away from their families. Most of the time, if not all the time, there are no phone calls, just emails when they get the chance.
3. "They do not go overseas." : Wrong. They go over to Bahrain and have been in Iraq in the past. Besides this, they travel to places such as Alaska, Panama, and other places as well.
4. "What does the Coast Guard even do?" : The Coast Guard performs search and rescue, homeland security, law enforcement, inspections of boats, and drug interdiction as well as more. Not only that, they can do it from land, sea, or air!
5. We are the forgotten branch. : While you see all of these websites like Etsy and Amazon and others make "merchandise" for Marine wives, Army wives, Navy wives, and Air Force wives, where is the love for Coastie Wives?
6. They go home every night, it is like a regular job. : Wrong again. They stand duty. Days/Nights at a time. It is not every night that we get to sleep next to our significant others.
7. Do they even go to training? : Yes, they have many schools and training classes. Yes, they go "TDY," for you non-military wives that is temporary duty. They go to training, AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES, and away from work for days or weeks at a time.