We have made plenty of friends, a couple of enemies, and several albums full of memories over the past year, and so we ring in this new year with a completely different type of resolution. It's about time someone addressed the elephant in the room, and since we're the ones who are strong enough, self-assured enough and have enough of a sense of humour to poke fun at ourselves, we've volunteered. We will handle that topic that nobody else will touch with a ten foot pole. We will courageously trod into territory long avoided by, debated over, and stifled by military spouses everywhere from time immemorial. The topic is "former military wives," the ones who are, for whatever reason, no longer official members of our unofficial yet apparently exclusive club. Something must be done about these ex-Milly's, but what? They know all about our secret handshake and clubhouse passwords, but pulled the "civi-side backslide" and now they're probably blabbing all our tricks to the civilian wives!
In all seriousness (just for a moment) it's practically impossible to un-learn all the things you pick up while involved in this lifestyle. Technically speaking, a military wife could be any person that is or has been common-law, married, divorced or widowed within the military. The military wife in need may be any of these, and should never be pushed away or rejected where she was once welcomed and appreciated. She needs to be able to draw strength and support from the community within which she has become comfortable, and within which she has become comfortable laughing at herself.
So this year, we resolve to link arms with every type of military wife. The current wives, the future wives, the former wives and even the annoying wannabes. ALL are welcome to pull up a chair and share a giggle in 2010, and beyond.
"Once a military wife, always a military wife"
~ Angele.
from the editor's desk
Editor-in-Chief
Angele Roux