How do spouses manage being separated from their soldiers for long periods of time?

OK, here's the nuts and bolts. You have a lot to do with your spouse doing well while you're gone. If you don't allow the spouse to be the ground commander back home, you've already half way in the dumpster. They're stronger than you think. My wife worked, made her own schedule up, dealt with the clogged toilet; whatever. When you get back, honor the ground commander by not trying to change everything to how you'd do it. Place looks OK and the bills are paid, life is good. You'll be surprised how many things are going well.

BTW, don't know how things are nowadays but back in the day spousal support was crap. My wife worked in a neonatal ICU and really could care less about the officer's wives group who'd chit chat about doilies. She wasn't going to make the drive up the coast to hang with them.

I think we were married 6 years when one of us said, we've been together half the time. Bottom line, if you can't trust and honor, you have a problem with the marriage and stuff going sideways is more a reflection of that vs. not being there.

COL Mikel J. Burroughs - Spouse: Toughest job in the military.

Get involved don't sit and wait for your spouse's return, there are many programs for spouse's to get involved in eg military wives support groups. Seek employment with the Federal Civil Service, where you can communicate with other SM and dependent spouses, stay in the LOOP most of all don't let yourself be isolated.