Where did you meet your spouse/significant other?

2014-07-28T17:58:37-04:00

We got into a discussion about this at work today, and I thought I'd pose the question here. It may not be military-related, (mine was), but I love these stories!

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Jul 28 at 2014 7:11 PM

2014-07-28T19:11:03-04:00

OK... you asked... sounds sappy but we were high school sweethearts. We met in 1979, and married in 1983 (same year I joined the Army), and we're still together!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 7:24 PM

2014-07-28T19:24:37-04:00

I met my wife when we were both managers at Target. She was a customer service manager and I was an Assets Protection manager. It took me nearly 6 months to even ask her our for varying reasons but the biggest being I knew one of us would have to leave our job. I decided it was worth it and I knew she was the one after the second date. We've now been together nearly 9 years and have been married 6. Best decision I've ever made.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 7:33 PM

2014-07-28T19:33:51-04:00

I met my bride to be when we were both in high school. I am a year older so was already working at Hardee's and she caught my eye when she came in for an interview. Yeah the job itself sucked but not much else to be had at 16 back home. She got the job and we worked together, went to school together, and when I turned 18 we even lived together. I joined the Army in 1999, she went to college, so we kind of split ways. Fast forward to 2010.... we started talking again, got engaged on July 3rd last year and will be getting married November 22nd this year.

Response by CDR Thomas Gatliffe made Jul 28 at 2014 7:58 PM

2014-07-28T19:58:04-04:00

I came home (Kansas City) from the Navy on two-weeks leave and asked a buddy from high school days if his fiance could set me up with a blind date since I didn't know any local girls any more (I had been essentially gone in the Navy almost continually for about eight years by then.) She picked her college roommate and, when I saw her, I was stunned. The next time I got two weeks leave (six months later) I proposed and she accepted. Six months later (on my next two-week leave period - I was doing Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine patrols at the time so leave periods were six months apart) we were married and drove to Virginia Beach, VA for a two year honeymoon (I had just been transferred to Guided Missile School Dam Neck as an instructor so there were a few incidental demands on my time, though). Apart from letter writing, we had really only known each other face-to-face for about a month (spread over a year's time) before we were married and such marriages are almost always doomed to failure. Thanks in large part to her efforts, it has only lasted 45 years so far but I have hopes it will be permanent.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 8:31 PM

2014-07-28T20:31:50-04:00

Thank you, 1SG Private RallyPoint Member. I hadn't even noticed the mistake!

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 28 at 2014 8:40 PM

2014-07-28T20:40:50-04:00

Pam & I went to high school together but never ran in the same circles. We ran into each other 4 years later outside Keaney Gym at the University of RI where we both attended. 26 years (married for 20), 3 kids 2 deployments and 1 dog later, here we still are.

Response by SGT Paul Belk made Jul 28 at 2014 8:46 PM

2014-07-28T20:46:35-04:00

I met my bride over 25 years ago at work in a grocery store. I was a produce clerk and she was training to be a cashier. Part of her training included getting familiar with the different types of produce. She barely noticed me and it was love at first sight for me. I had a lot of freedom so I could litterly take a break anytime I chose. I would pick out a snack and even if there were several people in her lane I would patiently wait just to speak to her. If she happened to be in the break room I would often share food with her. I was extremely shy back then and she is litterly my first and only love. One night I overheard that this would be her last night at our store. I panicked and almost had a nervous breakdown. So I mustered up all my courage and I approached her. I asked her about her new opportunity and she excitedly told me about her new job. I said "well I hope you have a nice life." Then I said "maybe we could do something sometime, if I could get your phone number I will call you." She replied "I don't have a phone." I thought that she was dissing me and I said "okay I get it you are not interested in me." My hopes were dashed until she said "no I really don't have a phone." This was long before the days of cell phones. She then asked for my number and said she would call me. I thought even then she probably would not call me, but the next day she called me asking if I could drive her across town to her new job for training. I told her of course and I enjoyed every minute with her. She was and is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. It took her a while to come around, but I was patient and eventually she did. We both joined the National Guard so we could go to college and still get married. We have been married for over 23 years we have 3 children ages 19, 14, and 12. I love my family very much and I still shudder to think what if I had not had taken the chance to speak up.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 9:18 PM

2014-07-28T21:18:12-04:00

My better half and i met through mutual freinds back in 1997 while we were in high school. By 1999 we had gotten married and had our first child my lil princess. Now 17 years later together 15 of those married she still puts up with this old dog. And has blessed me with her love and my lil princess and 2 strapping lil boys

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 10:28 PM

2014-07-28T22:28:56-04:00

Ahem... I met Patty at the night club on June 22, 2007. Would've never gone if I didn't find that free pass by sheer accident, otherwise I'd not wanna pay $10 cover. On August 8 of that same year we wed. No shotgun, no pressure. Sometimes you just KNOW. Funny thing, we went to Georgia State together. She had a kid by a security guard back in 2001 when I was working together with him. Never met his 'friend with benefits' who would later become mine4ever. What's your story, SGT Private RallyPoint Member?

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 11:40 PM

2014-07-28T23:40:08-04:00

I met my hubby in the navy. He was one of the first few people I met onboard. I arrived to the ship on Thursday night before Memorial Day. Lawd, what a young grasshopper I was back then. Unfortunately, he was going through a rough divorce from a fling of a young marriage from his first command. He was an E-4, I was an E-nothing. I was straight out of boot camp, and at the ship after having been home on leave before going to the ship. Next thing I know I'm going out into town with this third class petty officer and some other guy who I don't even recall at this point. I was 19. He was 21. We dated briefly, but I cut it off because his divorce wasn't finalized and he seemed to be dragging his feet about it. I didn't want to be "the other woman." We went our separate ways. I got out of the service at my 4 year mark. He had already moved on to another command. After I had been home for over a year, he called me one day. We started talking again - those 3 hour long conversations, and 2 weeks later he made the trip to Atlanta from Norfolk to come see me, with divorce papers in hand to prove it was finalized. 3 years later, after dating long distance for that 3 year period, he separated from the service and we got hitched. We'll celebrate our 7 year wedding anniversary this October.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2014 11:58 PM

2014-07-28T23:58:24-04:00

Who here remembers Ft. Ritchie, MD. It use to be the Army's best kept secret.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Jul 29 at 2014 12:01 AM

2014-07-29T00:01:20-04:00

A Starbucks outside of Milwaukee, thanks to the US Army Reserve.

I was doing a 100 day ADOS-RC tour supporting my unit, located in not the greatest part of Milwaukee. I was staying a bit north of town, and stopped at the first Starbucks that wasn't in a sketchy neighborhood - even a bit further north (espresso places aren't on every corner like they are here in the Pacific Northwest), and there she was. I started going there every night she was on shift.

The rest, as they say, is history. About 1.5 years later, we were tired of the long distance thing and she moved out to Washington.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2014 5:28 AM

2014-07-29T05:28:31-04:00

Actually met my wife through the military - one of my friends in basic was from the Philippines and was friends with my now wife. Here's her showing me who the REAL captain is.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Jul 29 at 2014 6:49 AM

2014-07-29T06:49:11-04:00

Met my wife at the Bulldog Lounge on Ft. Carson in early 1988, I was just out of OSUT by about 2 months and she was in a group of friends of my roommate was part of. She was bending over a pool table and my roommate and I happened to be in the room and I made a comment and she sorta shot me down when she overheard me lol. Later that night after learning she had been a security guard/auxiliary police officer I held my wrists out to be cuffed as she passed by us and she laughed and we got to talking. We married about 7-8 months later on November 10th and after 3 sons, 3 deployments, 8 PCS moves, 1 son enlisting and my retirement 9 months ago, we are going strong 26-years later.

Response by PFC Zanie Young made Jul 29 at 2014 10:23 AM

2014-07-29T10:23:43-04:00

My wife wasn't issued to me, so I had to wait about 18 years... I messed up the first time and waited just two more years before I finally got it right. I was a veteran before my first two marriages. I think it was that little girl that looked up to me in New York without me noticing...

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2014 3:41 PM

2014-07-29T15:41:02-04:00

Travis and I met through a mutual friend when we were 15/16 years old. We married after I got out of bootcamp and he has followed me around the world ever since.

Response by SPC Richard White made Jul 29 at 2014 6:24 PM

2014-07-29T18:24:24-04:00

Back in High school. I was a Senior and an officer in JROTC and she was a freshmen in high school only a private.She was sitting in the armory and I came in and I stole some of her french fries.

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jul 29 at 2014 6:42 PM

2014-07-29T18:42:55-04:00

I met my wife in my dreams. Then in 6th grade she tracked me down in math class.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Jul 29 at 2014 7:04 PM

2014-07-29T19:04:48-04:00

My current and hopefully final wife and I met when I went to work for Wendy's in Florida. She was the stores co-manager and I was a lowly employee. We made a good team then and 22 years later we are still a great team, the only difference now is that we are teamed up against a daughter and her 2 children. We are currently in the process of planning our escape from the asylum that has become our lives. The only problem is we cannot figure out where we want to go from here.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Seriously, please help!

Response by PO2 John Crutchfield made Jul 29 at 2014 7:59 PM

2014-07-29T19:59:26-04:00

We met the new fashioned way, on the Internet, in the spring of 1999. However, we met on a Yahoo message board for people that were wanting to move to Albuquerque, NM. We both moved to Albuquerque in May 1999. Married in summer 2000. Still going strong.

Response by MSgt Lancia Stewart made Jul 29 at 2014 8:43 PM

2014-07-29T20:43:30-04:00

At a Marine Corps Ball, and I wasn't his date! (My date was a good friend of mine.)

Response by SSG Keith Evans made Jul 29 at 2014 9:36 PM

2014-07-29T21:36:47-04:00

I met my wife at my first duty station... Ft Benning, GA. We both came into the service late in life and rather "seasoned." I told her I was a Yankees fan and despite her being a Blue Jays fan, we still clicked and started dating rather quickly. A year later were were married and our first child was on the way. Eight years have gone by soooo quick!

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made Jul 29 at 2014 10:59 PM

2014-07-29T22:59:05-04:00

I was her high school crush. She wasn't mine, but I was hers. Somehow, we got together and, as of September, we'll be married for 24 years

Response by SSG Steven Borders made Jul 30 at 2014 7:53 AM

2014-07-30T07:53:47-04:00

Tricia and I met in High School. I was a sophomore she was a junior. This was in like 95-96. We have been married for almost 15 years. It will be 15 in Aug. We have 3 girls and 2 dogs, crazy thing is my oldest will be 13 in Oct. Man time flies!

Response by MSgt Michael Sterling made Jul 30 at 2014 11:48 AM

2014-07-30T11:48:13-04:00

Funny that you should ask that question. I met my wife while stationed in Korea. She happened to be at K6 (Camp Humphrey, Army) and I was at Osan AFB (Air Force) in 1980. We met at a friends home at K6 during Thanksgiving 1980. We both knew this family when she (my wife) was at Ft. Lewis and I was at McChord AFB . Although we did not know each other at that time. Anyway my wife rotated back in Jan. 1980 and I came back on mid tour for a high school reunion and instead flew to D.C. picked her and her kids up went to SW Virginia and got married. Then I went back to Korea and worked on getting orders changed to join her in the D.C. area. Everything worked out even though we only semi dated while in Korea for 2 or 3 months. She got out while I was servicing at Andrews AFB and got to see Spain (Deseret Storm), Italy (Operation Provide Comfort), Langley AFB, Scott AFB with me. We will enjoy our 33 anniversary on Aug. 23 and have 14 wonderful grand children.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Jul 30 at 2014 12:19 PM

2014-07-30T12:19:08-04:00

I like to say I traveled the world twice to find my wife. After a tour in Korea and return to the US I met my wife in Germany. We were married in Denmark.

Response by CPT Brandon Christensen made Jul 30 at 2014 12:51 PM

2014-07-30T12:51:30-04:00

I met my wife while I was in Iraq towards the end of my 4 month extension (thanks to Pres. Bush and his surge for Baghdad). At the time Myspace was the cool thing like FB is now. One day she was searching for some people she may know in southern CA (where she lived at the time), some how my profile popped up (I live in Minneapolis, MN). I had my profile pic of me in uniform while in Iraq. She loved the picture so added me as a friend.

Being a single guy in Iraq, I loved how beautiful she looked so decided to accept it and we started to talk. At first we spent time talking through myspace and then switched to emails and then on to me calling her from Iraq.

When I officially got back home and discharged back to my NG status, I kept calling her daily and talking with her. Then we made plans to actually see each other. I took the first leap and went out to CA to spend a week with her.

Fell in love at first sight. Was a great week. Came home and about 2 months later, she flew out to spend a week with me in MN. Was still great. It was not 2 months after that she moved to MN to be with me. We dated for about 2 years and then we got married and still very happily married to this day :)

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 30 at 2014 3:03 PM

2014-07-30T15:03:07-04:00

We met at a Science Fiction convention in 1994. We lived in different states; talked on the phone and emailed for about a year. Got together and really hit it off - I saw her most Reserve weekends (which cost me a bunch of sleep) and moved in with her in 1997. Happily together (other than the 4.5 years I've been deployed) ever since.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 31 at 2014 12:16 AM

2014-07-31T00:16:08-04:00

I haven't met her yet, almost but no cookie. So my crop circle is still open. Nope, not gonna tell you.

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Jul 31 at 2014 7:27 AM

2014-07-31T07:27:23-04:00

on the internet of all places.

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made Jul 31 at 2014 11:34 AM

2014-07-31T11:34:19-04:00

After I got out of the service I tried my luck in the 'real world'... ended up going back to what I know as a security contractor. The lovely lady who would become my wife was actually the first tcn that I had to search when I started that job. We didn't date until a few years later though...

Response by CW2 Ernest Krutzsch made Jul 31 at 2014 7:08 PM

2014-07-31T19:08:30-04:00

My Spouse came into the Recruiting Station and was going to give up her children to join the Army, I guess in a sense she did. She was not qualified, and we began dating, and married in 1980, 34 years later, here we are!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 31 at 2014 7:14 PM

2014-07-31T19:14:01-04:00

Tucson, AZ. She received my ROTC Green-to-Gold packet on the fax machine and the rest became history.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2014 2:44 PM

2014-08-01T14:44:35-04:00

My wife and I were working at Ponderosa Steak house. She was the salad bar and I worked the broiler. We dated a week and I asked her to be my wife and we have been together now for 22 years.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2014 3:10 PM

2014-08-01T15:10:14-04:00

I met her on Myspace, purposed to her Oct, 2008, and got married March 3, 2009

Response by PO1 Ricky Allen made Aug 1 at 2014 5:00 PM

2014-08-01T17:00:14-04:00

Oh this is a good one - I was in Rota Spain and she was singing in the church choir. She invited me out with her study group but I declined - We kept running into each other and low and behold God was trying to introduce us! LOL. 14 years, two dogs, a cat, and two boys I think we made the right choice to speak (Even if I did crash two of her parties LOL)

Response by SSG Maurice P. made Oct 19 at 2014 4:45 PM

2014-10-19T16:45:41-04:00

KANEOHE BAY HAWAII WE WERE BOTH WITH THE 1ST MARINE BRIGADE.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2014 2:51 PM

2014-10-21T14:51:25-04:00

Well I my husband when I got to Alaska, He was my NCOIC. I knew the first time I seen him we were going to be together. It was just something. I can tell you what he was wearing down to his socks and shoes. But don’t get me wrong. I hated him at first, and would duck and hide every time I seen him, but as luck would have it, we have been married for over 10 years and have overcame many obstacles. He is truly the best.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 24 at 2014 3:43 AM

2014-10-24T03:43:32-04:00

We met while we were in college, and she was visiting her sister, who I went to school with. We started talking, and started dating a month later, got engaged a year later and married right after I decided to join the Army, before I knew if I was even going to be able to while waiting on a medical waiver. Now here we are almost 5 years later, and 2 kids and couldn't be happier.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 24 at 2014 8:30 AM

2014-10-24T08:30:33-04:00

Myspace

Response by SGT(P) Harry Clyde Jr. made Oct 27 at 2014 12:10 PM

2014-10-27T12:10:58-04:00

Met my wife while I was stationed at Ft Bragg through her older sister and ex brother in law who were very good friends of mine back in 93. She was an 18 yearold college student, I was a 21 year old SPC/Artilleryman with the 82nd. She and her sister just got back from the. beach with their father and she decided to hangout with us. Didnt like her at first. Overly sarcastic with not much in common with me. By the end of the weekend we got along and saw each other as frequently as possible. She lived in a different part of the state. Kept the relationship up while i was in Korea and not long after I got to Carson, She moved out there to live with me. We got married in 97. Been together for 21 years through thick and thin 3 kids and settled in Georgia. Still oppossite personalities though.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Nov 25 at 2014 5:28 PM

2014-11-25T17:28:14-05:00

No kidding....The internet. Well AOL instant messenger really.

Here is the back story. My parents separated before I was born and my Aunt on my father's side (who I had not met) found me using the military locator figuring that if my mom and dad were military, there was a good chance I joined when I turned 18 too.

Well, I was talking one night with my newly found cousin on AOL instant messenger and she had to go check on her newborn twins and had me talk with her best friend while she did that. A few weeks later I flew out to meet my family and meet the "best friend" I had been talking to. A few months later we were hitched and now it is 14 and a half years later.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Nov 25 at 2014 5:30 PM

2014-11-25T17:30:13-05:00

My wife and I met when I worked for her at a Wendy's franchise in Apopka Florida. We have been together for 23 years in January of next year. Now we work together to keep our sanity from the kids trying to drive us nuts. Here's to another 20+ for us.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 25 at 2014 9:34 PM

2014-11-25T21:34:50-05:00

I met my wife in the maternity ward.

Response by TSgt Kristin Parsons made Nov 27 at 2014 3:29 PM

2014-11-27T15:29:43-05:00

I met my husband in the Air Force. We were both medical so we stayed in the same dorms. It's a funny story...I used to walk by him and his friends hanging out on the stairwell and he would always ask me out. I was in the middle of CDCs so wasn't interested in dating at the time and always told him no. After about 20 times of him asking me out, I finally said yes (just so he would quit bugging me). We had a great time and were together for about a year before he popped the question. He later told me that it was going to be the last time he asked me. We've been married 7.5 years now :)

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Apr 8 at 2015 9:12 PM

2015-04-08T21:12:52-04:00

I met my wife at the Ft. Devens Enlisted/NCO club. I had 11 days left on active duty, she was drilling with her Reserve Medical unit. We were married a little over 4 months later..... that was nearly 30 years ago.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Aug 25 at 2015 10:25 AM

2015-08-25T10:25:15-04:00

Which one? And it is a good question, because military life has been the cause of my divorces. I lost a wife following every mission. Fact #2 partied when I was presumed dead in 1985.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2015 2:02 AM

2015-08-30T02:02:21-04:00

When I was stationed in Korea I met my wife through online dating, 4 months later I went on leave to go see here for almost a month, we got married 1 year later. <3

Response by CW4 Guy Butler made Sep 2 at 2015 3:36 PM

2015-09-02T15:36:13-04:00

Heh. Playing D&D.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Sep 2 at 2015 3:43 PM

2015-09-02T15:43:15-04:00

My story is a bit entertaining.....
I came off active duty Army and joined the Army Guard while attending college. 3 months later, our unit got activated for Desert Shield/Storm.... Now, as I was not a local...I just packed my bags and got ready for the mission. All the local members had their families hanging out around the Armory. My Plt Sgt's family among them. I supposedly met my future wife at that time (however, my mind was not on families, but packing my gear, as MY family wasn't there). After return from Storm, went back to college and continued on in that guard unit. One day, I get a call from the Plt Sgts daughter asking me to go on a date with another girl (the girls were working on a double date and calling for the other one....). SO, my first 2-3 dates were double dates....and NOT with my future bride. Later on, I transferred to another college, and discovered that she was going to that school also....we started dating shortly after and married 2 years later. That was back in 1995. Nothing like dating your Plt Sgt's daughter!! ;-)

Response by CSM Carl Cunningham made Sep 5 at 2015 4:18 PM

2015-09-05T16:18:36-04:00

I met my wife just a tad of 18 years ago when we met in the same basic training platoon. I really didn't like her attitude much then, but she did have almost every guy in the platoon bugging her. We exchanged mailing addresses after basic because her best friend growing up lived in Ohio(where I am from), and she said she was going to visit me during our Christmas exodus. I truly thought I would never see her again until I received a phone call one night when home on Christmas leave. She drove up the next day, got snowed in for two days, and we spent four more together. I quickly asked her to marry me because I knew she was an awesome woman(she is older than me too). We got married on the next four day pass, while both still in AIT. We have three kids now and are still keeping it going in the Army lifestyle. :)

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Sep 25 at 2015 11:27 PM

2015-09-25T23:27:59-04:00

Am currently married to the girl who wrote me the "Dear Jeff" a couple months after I joined the Marines. Our mothers both worked at the same company and we both got jobs there. I worked in the mail room and delivered mail between corporate headquarters and when I would get done in the evenings (after all the regulars were gone), she would be there in Billing, filing all the paperwork they generated that day into file cabinets. She was cute and athletic and I thought there was no way she would say "Yes" if I asked her out but I also figured there was no way she'd say "Yes" if I didn't, so I asked her out and dang if she didn't say "Yes!"

We were buddies and we were tight, but we were more than buddies... we were soul mates! She was in my head all day long. I could feel when she was thinking about me. We dated over a year and I wanted to marry her, but wasn't making enough money to support a family working in the mailroom and I didn't go to college (couldn't afford it). So I joined the military with hopes of killing a few birds with one stone: 1) serve my country 2) learn a trade 3) get tuition assistance for college. I was working toward making a future for us, and I had a long term plan for making it happen. In her teen age mind, which was more focused on the short term, she wondered why I left her. When I was in "A" school, she broke up with me and started seeing "Jodie." Many of you are familiar with him... Apparently he gets around.

Well, after she broke up with me, I was so broken hearted I didn't date for two years and channeled my frustration/energies into working out and excelling in every school the Marines sent me to. I didn't have much of a life, but instead of partying, I was working for my future.

When I was in Japan another girl from my neighborhood started writing me and I ended up marrying her. She was on her best behavior up until the point where the ring went on her finger and then all of a sudden I got to see a different side of this girl that I didn't know existed. She argued about EVERYTHING! under the sun. We rode an emotional roller coaster for 17 years before she called it quits. She stuck around for my retirement and ended up divorcing me two years after I retired. I wouldn't wish on anyone (even people I don't care for!) the train wreck that was our relationship.

It took me awhile to deal with the pain of divorce and I was in no hurry to repeat mistakes. I dated around and was serious with a couple women but something in my gut kept telling me to wait. Then, as fate would have it, life smiled on me and the girl who wrote me the "Dear Jeff" found me online. It was about a year after her husband died and she apologized for what she did to me and wanted to come down and see me. I was seeing someone else at the time, and told her that it would not be a good time to come down. But I also told her that if things didn't work out, I would call her and if she would still have me, she could come down at that time. (It wouldn't be fair to the other girl to have to compete with someone from my past and I can honestly say I didn't do anything to sabotage the relationship.)

Well, to make a long story short, things didn't work out with the girl I was seeing and so I called up my old high school sweetheart. Really wasn't sure if you could reheat old coffee and told her to come with no expectations. To her credit she did, and it was as if time stood still; we just picked up where we left off and got married 32 years after breaking up I would wish on any man what I have with my wife. I can be myself and don't have to do anything to impress her. She is still my soul mate.

Response by PO3 Donald Murphy made Aug 30 at 2016 10:28 AM

2016-08-30T10:28:12-04:00

Lisa was my best friend's girlfriend. We both worked together on base at Billeting in 1984 and he was having a barbeque and invited me to his house for the BBQ and "to meet his new girlfriend." I came over and met her. I knew he had joined the military (Army) and I kept in touch with Lisa, letting her know if I had received any letters/calls, just hanging out, etc. Way before email/internet. The long distance romance thing didn't work out and they broke up. I then invited Lisa to my 21st birthday party to cheer her up, let her meet other people. Now...I should add that when I had last seen Lisa, she had short hair, no makeup and was in jeans and a t-shirt. When she showed up at my party...BAM! She was in a party dress, long hair, etc. Basically all of my fantasies in one. This was interesting as I had joined the Navy at the time via Delayed Entry Program and would be leaving in a few months.

We hit it off and started dating and although it seemed like deja vu for her (her boyfriend joining the military and leaving), I convinced her I would be in contact weekly and would come back to see her (which I did). I called her every chance I got while in boot camp and wrote practically daily (no email or internet back then) which was easy as Navy boot camp encouraged it and gave you free stationary and stamps. After submarine school I flew back to see her and after I would get back from every submarine patrol I would take my R&R time to fly back and see her. I had had enough of long distance dating and in May of 1986, I flew her over to the States for a month and proposed to her. We then flew out to California to let my parents know. As Lisa was an English citizen, I had to get permission for us to get married which was approved. We then got married in England on July 4th, 1987.

We decided not to have children while I was in the Navy as we both felt that I should be there during the pregnancy, etc. We had many Navy friends suffering through deployed child birth to reinforce that we were "making the right decision." Its not for everyone so don't think I'm being hateful. But we both felt that the "better/easier way" was for me to be there. And in retrospect, it worked out and I would not have missed cutting my kids' cords for the world. My best friend? We're still friends. We still see each other.