Tanya Biank is a name known to not only military wives but also civilians. She grew up as an Army brat and moved onto Army wife, mother, columnist, and published author. Her book Army Wives is the basis for the hit series on Lifetime “Army Wives.” Tanya currently works on the set of “Army Wives” a consultant for the show. Tanya is an inspiration for military wives all over, and it is my pleasure to feature this interview as Tanya discusses her military life, work and Army Wives.

 

From Army brat to Army wife, have you ever thought of what your life would be like if the military was not a part of it?

The military is more than just a job. It’s a lifestyle for the entire family and it can shape your values, your politics and how you look at the world.  I’m sure I would be a different person today if the Army had never been part of my life.  

As an Army Wife, what is the biggest challenge for you and your family?

I think for any Army wife, a big challenge is coming to peace with the fact that the Army has to come first many times. My son celebrated his birthday last year and this year without his daddy, who is deployed. That is very common. Often times military families sacrifice on behalf of all American families.

What inspired you to start writing “Army Wives”?

I wanted to put a human face on our military and I wanted to tell the untold story of military wives on their own frontline—the homefront.

What do you want military spouses to gain through your book and writing?

I want spouses who read Army Wives to know they are not alone and that they can find an inner strength during the most difficult and challenging of times. I wanted this book to have a timeless quality to it. I wanted an Army wife from 1968 to gain as much from the book as an Army wife from 2010. Many civilians read my book as well.  My hope is that they gain a better understanding of and appreciation for military life.  

How does it feel to have a successful book and it being the basis for the Lifetime hit series Army Wives?

 

It’s a great feeling of course. These kinds of things don’t usually happen. It’s been quite an experience to see my book come to life on TV each week. 

Were any of the qualities of the characters in “Army Wives” adapted from you or your experiences?

The characters were initially adapted from my book, but I play a role in shaping the weekly episodes and that includes how the characters react to the situations and circumstances they find themselves in. My experiences are part of what I bring to the creative table.     

Since you serve as a consultant on the show, how is it working behind the scenes?

I love working behind the scenes on Army Wives. It’s a tremendous and rewarding experience both professionally and personally. It’s been a joy to work with creative, smart and talented people. I love working with the writers and producers. They have a lot of respect for our military families and it shows in each episode.  

Could you discuss a bit of your volunteer work? How does volunteering help while your husband is away?

It’s easy to get burned out during a deployment when you are heavily involved or hold a volunteer leadership position. If you get to the point where the needs of others are coming before the needs of your own family, you need to take a step back and reassess the situation. It can be hard for those who give so much to say “no.” It is also very tough for spouse volunteers when their efforts are criticized or taken for granted by other spouses who are not involved. Usually you have a small group of dedicated women doing a tremendous amount of volunteer work. We always can use extra hands! Giving back is always a good thing. I continue to be touched by the dedication of some of our military spouses who so willingly give of their time and talents to the military community. They are the ones who keep me going.   

What type of advice would you give other military wives, who are going through a deployment?

Get involved and get to know people. Don’t let the first time you meet your FRG leader be when you are in the emergency room and need to send a Red Cross message to Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s wonderful to have a support network of old friends and family members “back home,” but when you’ve been in a car accident or when your child is in emergency surgery, it could take your parents, who live across country, a couple of days to arrive when you need on-site support immediately. Many times we worry about something happening to our spouse who is deployed. But as an FRG leader going through a current deployment, I can tell you the emergencies mostly happen on the homefront. In your worst moment of need, it helps to be involved and to know people—your neighbors and the fellow spouses in your FRG.

Tell us a little bit about your work life; is there a new book in the future?

I often travel across the country as a guest speaker at Army posts. It’s always a pleasure meeting spouses who are fans of Lifetime’s Army Wives. I also write a syndicated column for military spouses at www.homefrontonline.com. I hope there will be a new book in the future. Stay tuned!