Written by Angela Caban,

When I married my husband I had a slight idea of what to expect, actually I guess I really didn’t. He was in the Army Reserves for the 3 years we dated and once we married, he was completely out of the military. It was two years after we were married and had our son that my husband re-enlisted into the Army National Guard. So I guess you can say that even though I had a good idea of what I was getting into, I still had a lot to learn if I wanted to stay above the water. Being new to this world is not quite simple, but with the right resources, support and books you should fit in and adjust easily.

Military life is not just a job, it’s a lifestyle. And one that takes complete and total control over everything. We are the subjects of many challenges and although we manage – there are constant transitions we as families must make. And if you are new to this life, the first thing you will need is a ton of basic information. Welcome to New to the Military Life Part 1 – crash course!

Where to start…..

Your ID card is probably going to be the important tool for you in this life. You are going to need this when living on or off post. You will not be allowed on a military base without it and it is so much more than just an id. The military ID card will serve as your ticket to many things such as; medical and dental benefits, entry onto post and areas on post such as the commissary, PX and MWR. Your spouse must enroll you in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). You will need your marriage license and the DD Form 1173 in order to get your ID card.

Don’t forget that books and resources are the way to go! I always say that the way to become an expert in something is by simply reading a few books. Here is a list of books I recommend you start with:

• “Today’s Military Wife: Meeting the Challenges of Service Life,” by Army spouse Lydia Sloan Cline.
• “E-mail to the Front: One Wife’s Correspondence with Her Husband Overseas,” by Navy spouse Alesia Holliday.
• “Going Overboard: The Misadventures of a Military Wife,” by Navy spouse Sarah Smiley.
• “Heroes at Home: Help and Hope for America’s Families,” by Air Force spouse Ellie Kay.
• “The Homefront Club: The Hardheaded Woman’s Guide to Raising a Military Family,” by Navy spouse Jacey Eckhart.
• “Married to the Military: A Survival Guide for Military Wives, Girlfriends and Women in Uniform,” by Navy spouse Meredith Leyva.
• “Surviving Deployment: A Guide for Military Families,” by Marine Corps spouse Karen M. Pavlicin.
• “When Duty Calls: A Guide to Equip Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Personnel and Their Loved Ones for Military Separations,” by Air Force spouse Carol Vandesteeg.
• “Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s Soul,” by multiple authors’.
• “Help! I’m a Military Spouse–I Get a Life Too!: How to Craft a Life for You As You Move With the Military,” by Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer.
• “Separated By Duty, United In Love,” by Shellie Vandevoorde.
• “The Military Spouse’s Complete Guide to Career Success: Finding Meaningful Employment in Today’s New Global Marketplace,” by Janet I. Farley.

The military has its own time and vocabulary. The time used is a 24-hour clock, it is not hard to grasp just add a zero in front of the hour – 7:00 am would be written 0700 and spoken “zero seven hundred”. And any time after noon, just add 12 to the time – 6:00 pm would be written 1800 and spoken “eighteen hundred”.

When it comes to learning the lingo and vocabulary, the best way was to write down the word or acronym when you hear it and then look it up immediately. It also helped to keep a log of these and reference back if you could not remember. I found this website very helpful: http://www.militarywords.com/.

For more on Angela Caban, visit her website at www.angelacaban.com.

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