The End

Justin has been a member of the Utah National Guard for almost 11 years. On September 30th he will complete his commitment with the guard and we have decided not to have him re-enlist.

So this is it. He has been working for two weeks in Draper to finish his drills for the rest of the year. This will allow us to move and he wont have to transfer units. Today is the last time he will put on a uniform. It's bittersweet. There are things that I will miss about having a husband in the military and definite things that I will not. Here is my list:

When we first got married Justin thought it would be nice if I learned to cut his hair. (His mother had always cut his hair). It didn't take long for him to realize that the only cut I could give was a buzz. Once, while I was pregnant with Ema I cut his hair and his military buddies harassed him so bad about it that he went to a salon and had it fixed without telling me.I'm NOT going to miss the haircuts. I can't wait to see what he does with the new found facial hair freedom!Military balls were fun - that is the TWO times we went. Justin's unit is really laid back. He usually buys a ticket, but they're not required to go. It was fun to get dressed up and see all the class -A uniforms. I WILL miss the military balls. If I had to do it over, I would make him take me every year!The deployments were a lot less fun. 99% of the nights I have spent alone since we've been married have been due to the Army. I will NOT miss being alone. I will NOT miss having to send my husband packages. I will NOT miss having his building blown up. *YES! This did happen. He called me and said, "I just wanted you to hear this from me before you hear it on the news - we were bombed here in Kirkuk and my building was hit. One man died, but I'm ok". HELLO! * I will make him tell you the story. It's crazy.

I WILL miss the benefits. The army has great benefits. Separation pay, housing allotment, travel reimbursements, the px/bx tax free shopping, healthcare, etc. The army takes care of its soldiers. No wonder this war is costing us so much! I will definitely miss the monthly check, but I WILL NOT miss the guard weekends. It became a hassle when we moved to Logan and I began to hate them. We never could have made it through school without the GI Bill and I count it as a blessing in our lives.

I am so proud of Justin and the 11 years of service he has given our state and country. He has served with honor and I am grateful for the man he has become because of his time in the Army. But that time has come to an end. Thank you Justin for all that you've done for our country, but most especially our family. You're a great example to our children and I love you.