Who out there found the LASTING love of your life while in the military?

Met my wife in Tong Du Chon, Korea. She was another American Soldier stationed there and 17 years and three kids later we are still as happy as ever. She eventualy got out, but she has been my rock and best friend for the entire 17 years we have been together. 15 of them married!

Chaplain Beaver,

I did. I found my wife in the military. It has been 16 years and we are still going strong. We have survived deployment, retirement, family illness and the death of a child.
You ask what works for us, let me share just a few tips.
* First, It is NOT always about YOU, it IS about you both.
* Share the bad dreams, when she says she wants to help, LET HER IN
* NEVER do anything you would not want your spouse to know, If it would hurt you, it would hurt them too.
* Grass is seldom greener, if your grass is not as green as you would like, spend your time fixing your own lawn, not looking for a new one.
* Work you kids into your lives as a vital part, not as strap hangers. Kids know if they annoy you or if you really care.
* Tell the truth, ALWAYS. Truth can be worked on but a lie will always collapse.
* Before you think about how good looking she USED TO BE, look in the mirror.

Finally, Seek guidance and parity from God above. pray together and seek wisdom from above. Treat your spouse the same way you dream of being treated yourself.

My first wife left after 17 years of marriage and a 20 year relationship because she "didn't want to be married to the military anymore. This announcement came the week after 911. I met the woman who completes my life while we served in the same Air Force Reserve unit. She was a flyer - a medtech. We knew each other and she saw me in a funk at the December drill in 2001. Just walked up and said something like, "you're not yourself this weekend. If you want to talk let me know." She didn't know I'd just filed for divorce the day before. Long story short - we were married 7 months later. She actually deployed to OEF before I did and I gave her a ring when she got off the plane. Wouldn't change a thing.

Been married 15 years now. Met my wife on Quantico. Sure there have been ups & downs, but wouldn't trade it for the world.

CPt my wife and I met in the Army we were from completely different walks of life. I dated her for two months and then asked her to marry me. That was 19 years ago. I'm still blown away by the whole thing. God can take two opposites and turn them into best friends! All things are possible when He gets involved!

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. -Proverbs 18:22

She sure is a "Good thing!"

I did. Just be willing to compromise for the sake of your marriage.

I know that we always don't get a say in where we go or what we do in the military, but when given a chance make it a family decision. I have done that with my wife, and she knows that if it is a Key and Developmental Position I have the override, but in any other position she has the veto.

I was stationed on Okinawa from 61 to 63. I used to go to the village every night after after Chow. Their was nothing to do on base Only Drink or go to a movie. Okinawan girls were about all we seen. Marines could not have dependents because the 3rd marine division was a combat ready division with 25% of the company had to stay on base every night. I used to stop at a little restaurant to get Soba (Japanese noodles) before I went back to the barracks. I met an Okinawan girl it helped make the 18months go by faster. The marines said if we wanted you to have a wife we would issue you one. When I got discharged from the marines I joined the army so I could get married .I was 23 and my wife was 25 when we married. I was told not to marry a Japanese girl cause it wouldn't work out. We have been Married for 55yrs. My point is If your old enough to join the military your old enough to make your own decisions. Its your life and you have to live it. If you make a mistake you gain experience. Semper Fi.

met my wife in AIT, 32 years ago this coming December.....

MSgt Mikulski said it good, but he left out one part that makes and breaks both military careers and marriages.

Met my hubby during A school and have been married 26 years. We did great our first 5 years as a duel service couple. When the two of us wanted to become three or more, that's when the real challenges where going to happen and we had to make some tough team decisions. I speak of this from the view of both a service member, a spouse of a service member and having been a Navy brat.

I loved being a kid of a service member. It was a good childhood, moves and all, but I know it was tough on my parents, and occasionally, we kids ended up in long term care of grandparents, which wasn't so great. Lets just say they never refused, but might should have.

If you want to have children, then it will be tougher. I know there are people that manage duel career marriages and make it work, but the stress of it and the constant juggling to make sure child care is taken care of just wasn't worth it for us. Your job always has to come first in the service and I saw plenty of other parents have nightmare situations where childcare plans failed, emergencies happened or deployments separated the family and one had to became a single parent without enough outer support to make it work. We weighed careers and decided who got out before having kids.

Duel service couples have to be strong enough to make those kind of tough decisions together.

My wife and I married in 1998. One year out of high school. I was stationed at Fort Drum and yes we deployed a lot. For us, I think that was key. We argued so much when we had been together for a good while. Then I would deploy or leave on extended training missions and we would have our time away from each other. When I would return. It was like we fell in love all over again. After about 10-15 years I think we just got older together and the arguing went away. Today, I am madly in love with my wife and I am glad we stuck it out. I truly don't think that you just find love that lasts without effort on both parts. I say, stick it out and take those much needed breaks away from each other. As your relationship grows she will be the only person you will want to hang around and be with.