Written By: Andrew Burcham
The military life brings on stressors in many different ways. Arguably the most prominent for a military family is the various transitions we go through. Transitioning from civilian to military life, home cycle to deployment, deployment to home cycle, PCS’ing, separating/retiring, and many others in between. Amidst an endless amount of stress and transitions, we learn to deal and cope in different ways.
As a service member, what I desire is for my wife and family to trust me and my decisions. I want them to understand that I am making a lot of different decisions, some on the fly, and some with their consultation. I need their trust and belief in me to make the best decisions I can, not to argue or feel “left out” over all the little details.
Although this sounds like I’m putting the onus on the family to just put up with the decisions I make, it has been on me to set a precedent in the past to show my family that they are of utmost importance to me. More important than my career and professional choices. I have shown them by involving them in as many decisions as I can and communicating with them as much as possible.
Ultimately it is a team effort. Without trust, the smallest decisions can become selfish, vindictive, or careless.
Written By: Andrew Burcham
