Photo By Monica Guthrie | Chap. (Maj.) Jesse McCullough, Special Operations Command-Korea (SOCKOR), welcomes...... read more read more
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — Geographic bachelors and singles joined married couples for Marriage Advance, Feb. 27, at the Four Chaplains Memorial Chapel. The event was designed to provide faith-based best practices and resources for strengthening marriages.
The phrase "geo bachelor" is a slang term combining the words "geographic" and "bachelor." It refers to service members who are serving at a duty station separate from their spouse. While originally reserved for those service members and families who voluntarily choose to live in different locations, the term now includes those who may be separated due to military orders (for example, Soldiers who are sent to Korea but are not approved to bring their families with them).
“Geo bachelors are still married and they need to understand that they can make progress in their marriage while they’re geographically separated,” said Chap. (Maj.) Jesse McCullough, Special Operations Command-Korea (SOCKOR). “If anything, geo bachelors, are maybe more important to have at these events because they’re facing unique trials. Coming to events like this and learning what it means to be in a godly marriage is really important.”
Sgt. Mathew Monreal, 602nd Aviation Support Battalion, has been married for a year and a half, and for 11 of those months has been stationed in Korea, away from his wife who is working on her graduate degree in California. Monreal said the event was something out of his comfort zone, but that he looked forward to learning something new that he could bring into his marriage.
“It’s always interesting learning what (couples who have been married longer) did in life, essentially what they did that made their marriage better through the best and worst times,” said Monreal. “Maybe you’re not with your spouse, but you can always have new topics to talk to your spouse about.”
In addition to geo bachelors, McCullough said singles were invited to attend the event and learn what a healthy marriage looks like and what they should be looking for in a potential spouse.
Gabriel Nolan, who works for Child and Youth Services, is single and said she didn’t plan on attending but eventually was persuaded. She said what appealed to her was the opportunity to develop character traits that would one day assist her at a wife.
“Even if you’re not married there’s always something you can learn,” said Nolan. “You can learn how to better yourself, how to prepare for your role in a marriage, or what to look for in a marriage.”
Spc. Tristan Wilson, 3nd Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, is also unmarried and said he attended to help improve his own skills.
“I believe in having people pour into your life, people who have experienced seasons that you can learn from so you don’t fall into the same mistakes that they did,” said Wilson. “I want to be a good husband, I want to learn from husbands that have been there and figured out what went well. It’s a good place to learn. This is for me, for the future."
The event included a meal followed by a short teaching by McCullough who spoke on the importance of couples acting as two halves of a whole, setting boundaries, and how marriage is sacred.
“What if God designed marriage to make us holy, not happy,” asked McCullough, who went on to say marriages are stronger when God is at the center. “I should be a better follower of Jesus because of my marriage.”
The event ended with a question-and-answer session before a panel representing four couples. Attendees were asked to submit questions as they registered for Marriage Advance, allowing organizers to pick up on specific patterns which may be indicators of what the audience is facing. The topics ranged from navigating difficult times to how to keep sex exciting when life is overwhelming.
“The important thing about this is that this is not a resilience event,” said McCullough. “This is a Gospel-based Biblical marriage event made to help people be more like Jesus in their marriage. Each of these panel members had practical experience of how God’s brought them through trials that we can all learn from.”
The next Marriage Advanced is scheduled for this summer.
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2023 20:38 |
| Story ID: | 439405 |
| Location: | KR |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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