Photo By Taikeila Dale | Maj. Steve King, commander, Third Army Augmentation Company, and his wife Tina King,...... read more read more
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SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. – This week, in honor of military spouse appreciation month, the “Soldier Spotlight” is not a Soldier at all, but serves in U.S. Army Central nonetheless--she is a military spouse.
May 9, 2014 has been designated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day and to honor military spouses, Tina King, a military spouse who is the mother of two girls and is also the U.S. Army Central Family Readiness Group leader, is being highlighted. Her husband, Maj. Steve King, is commander of the Third Army Augmentation Company.
President Ronald Reagan first made the declaration of Military Spouse Day, May 23, 1984, and it was standardized by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger as the Friday before Mother’s Day. This is her story of being a military spouse and supporting military spouses and families.
Q: How long have you been a military spouse?
A - Tina King: Steve was commissioned out of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in 1996 and we were married very shortly afterwards, so I have been an Army spouse for about 18 years. He began his military career as a U.S. Army Reservist, and along with a number of fairly long training events, he deployed for 14 months to Iraq in 2003. Upon his return, he went back to his civilian job, and then took a Contingency Operation for Active Duty Operational Support tour with the U.S. Army Human Resources Command in Washington, D.C., for about eight months. During that time, he was accepted into the Active Guard-Reserves program. He has since deployed about six months.
Q: How did you cope as a spouse during your husband's deployment?
A - Tina King: My kids keep me very busy during deployments and I also jumped right into the FRG as soon as possible and try to meet other military spouses and families. Staying busy and finding a support network is incredibly important.
Q: How did you help your children cope during your husband's deployment?
A – Tina King: I keep the kids involved in sports and activities, but also make sure they have time to email or talk to their dad while he's gone. We try to take some family time together - just watching movies or playing games.
We also attempt to be as open and honest as possible with the kids and give them as much advance notice as we can of when Steve might go away and let them know when, how long and when possible, a little about what he will be doing. I think it allows them to prepare themselves a bit and gives them time to ask questions and deal with the change. Steve and I also try to hold off on telling the kids when Steve is coming home till the very last minute. Not only does it give them a bit of a surprise, but also with the Army things change so quickly, I don’t want their hearts broken if Steve is delayed in his return.
Q: How has your spouse helped you cope with a deployment?
A – Maj. King: Tina is my rock. Simply put, I can do what I need to do for the Army because of her. She is there for me when I just need someone to listen, she is my confidant when I need to vent and she is there to provide sound advice when I need it. No matter how short of notice or how long I will be away, she always just says the same thing: "We will figure it out ... we always do. Just do what you have to do." She is brutally honest, but prudent when we talk about what is happening at home. I know she always finds a way to handle whatever challenge comes our family's way.
Q: What sacrifices do military and families make?
A – Tina King: I know there are sacrifices, but we try to look at them as adventures. Steve and I like knowing that our kids are learning to be well-rounded children - experiencing different people in different parts of the country, learning to deal with changes and challenges. Overall, I think it is making us a stronger, more close-knit family, and what we go through as a family is preparing them for life's next step.
Frankly, the kids are the ones asking us when our next move is and where we might go. It is amazing how they quickly build strong and lasting friendships and jump right in and get involved with every move. We have made it a point to discuss the bright side of each duty station and try to go out and experience what these locations have to offer. Moving every two to three years is tough but with all the technology available, we are never far from email, texting, or Skyping with family and friends.
Q: How do military spouses and families help keep each other going while their spouses are deployed?
A – Tina King: I love talking to other spouses that really understand the military life-- the good, bad and the ugly. Sometimes we are just inspiring others to help them through the day. At other times we are talking through problems and challenges, and best of all, sometimes we get to celebrate returns from deployment. I have found that my friends are there no matter what. I can lean on them and they can lean on me. Military spouses and families have a special bond that is hard for others to understand, but it is a bond that ties us together. One of the most recent shows of support that meant so much to me was when some dear military friends took care of the kids for a few days so I could go pick up Steve and we could surprise them when Dad came home from deployment! The girls were so happy and it was great to know that not only were my kids taken care of, my friends were the ones that suggested it.
Q: Do military spouses and families help support each other between deployments? If so, how?
A – Tina King: Most definitely! Just the type of life a military family leads is challenging. There are always early mornings, late nights, stressful situations, long deployments, and having other spouses or families that understand that is such a comfort. In all the different places we have lived, I have had families and spouses that were there for everything from simple coffee breaks, social groups, dinners out or even helping with errands.
Here at U.S. Army Central, the Family Readiness Group usually plans an event each month just for this purpose - so spouses and families can get together and meet those people that will be there for them.
| Date Taken: | 05.07.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.07.2014 17:19 |
| Story ID: | 129073 |
| Location: | SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 116 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, US Army Central recognizes military spouses, by SFC Tim Meyer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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