What It’s Like to Date Someone on Deployment
I talk about my boyfriend Chris on Miss Millennia quite often, and in the 5 1/2 years we’ve been dating we’ve been through a LOT together. One of our most challenging times for me in our relationship had to be Chris’ deployment to Afghanistan. While it has been a few years since Chris’ return from his deployment when I see commercials like the Duracell one below I cannot help but think about all the emotions and thoughts I had while he was away.
My Thoughts During his Deployment
I remember thinking about his well-being, wondering in what ways I could help and praying often for him to return home safely. A deployment is hard because you always have the idea in the back of your mind that there is a possibility that they will not come back. And that is a terrifying feeling. I remember being worried at all times of the day and only felt relieved when I could speak to him on the phone. I felt very lucky however since I did have the opportunity to speak to Chris daily, which I know is not the case for many families going through a deployment. And even with this comfort, I felt stressed. Honestly, It is something that you never really get used to. It does get easier, but the bad thoughts always seem to creep back in.
I have to admit that towards the end of his deployment, once we reached the halfway point and beyond, things got easier. Instead of me counting the days he had been gone, I was counting the days until he came home. I think it is good for me to reflect back on these days from time to time because it allows me to cherish every day that we both have, and to appreciate that my prayers were listened to and answered while he was gone.
Families Dealing with Deployment
While Chris is safely back here with me in Texas now, I still have a deep respect for families who have endured multiple deployments for a family member. I know that I had my own personal hardships with Chris being gone for a year, but I can only imagine how difficult it most be on a child waiting for their parent to return home. Since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, more than 2 million American children have had a deployed parent. Many of them have seen multiple deployments: 3, 4, or even 5 family separations.
This is heartbreaking because I know how hard it is. With that being said, I love the concept in this commercial since recordable teddy bears, along with other battery-powered devices such as recordable storybooks provide reliable comfort no matter when or where their parent is deployed.
So I have to commend Duracell for wanting to power more comforting moments for loved ones through a donation of $100,000 to USO’s Comfort Crew for Military Kids. You too can find out how you can donate to the cause through the USO at https://www.uso.org/donate.
If you do ever find yourself in a relationship where a deployment is near, I think it is great to be proud of your significant other for bravely putting their life on the line for the sake of our country. You should also know that while it isn’t easy, nothing worth having in life is ever easy. For this reason alone I think it is worthwhile to count your blessings.
