In military life, pre-deployment training is one of the most annoying things in existence. Prior to the deployment, a military member must train for the upcoming missions. This means they pack up for days, weeks, possibly months and head to some other location to train. Repeatedly. By the time deployment rolls around, the one left behind is ready for those days of separation to count for something. Most are shouting “Leave Already!”
Those days of preparation always feel like the arm flex of the military. A not so subtle reminder the military takes precedence. Pre-deployment is like a whisper in your ear… He’s here but he belongs to the Corps. A singsong taunting… You got too comfortable. You forgot this is what the job is all about.
And you whisper back… abrasively… It’s unfair and you know it! You get him for 8 months and you can’t even give me two uninterrupted weeks?!?
Oh how I hate pre-deployment days. Thankfully I am not preparing for another deployment. When I am, I tend to take the bury-my- head-in-the-sand-until-we-say-goodbye approach. No need to be sad about the deployment if it might not happen! Unfortunately, the chance of deployment falling through late in the game is almost non-existent.
Call me the eternal optimist because I always feel like Jim Carey in Dumb and Dumber when it comes to the potential of a cancelled deployment…
Sooo…you’re telling me there’s a chance!
Yaaay!!!
What is your pre-deployment coping style?
What is your pre-deployment coping style?
I always got so frustrated the days leading up to the deployment. When he deployed to Haiti after the earthquake I said goodbye to him 8 different times before he left.
ReplyDeleteOh good! I thought you were going to say that he was getting ready to leave! I am incredibly clingy. And the closer it gets, I think the more frustrated I become so I try to be as nice as possible and not take it out on him.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your hubby isn't really leaving! I hate dealing with pre-deployment, so so much. But for me, it's just one of those things, I try to push it out of my mind and enjoy each day and moment until the last possible second. I do also worry and think about him "stocking up" on things that need to be done. Like getting the oil changed... usually I still have do it when he's gone, but if it's at least done right before he leaves I might only have to do it once.
ReplyDeleteBefore my husband deployed he went to training across the country for 2 weeks and I've never been so depressed! It's like a little prelude to the big one. Ugh. Not happy times.
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I can totally relate to the Dumb and Dumber thing! :) Denial is my pre-deployment coping strategy. LOVE your blog, btw!
ReplyDeleteI have yet to deal with a deployment yet. However, we have been hearing word of one coming up in a few months. I don't know what I am going to do or how I am going to feel yet. But it's probably going to be rough.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that your hubs isn't leaving though! I really thought that was where this post was heading. But yal have a lot to sort out thanks to the new move! good luck getting things together in your new house. It's gorgeous (:
We're in the middle of my husband's first deployment so I really didn't know what to expect during the pre-deployment stage. I felt exactly the same way you described. It got to the point that I just wanted to him to leave already so we could get on with it. He left right after the whole sequestration took effect so it was a "are they going"/"are they not going" question for weeks.
ReplyDelete