Blogs for your consideration...
Over 20 years' worth of observations, recommendations, and considerations on life, family, and the military lie within these narratives. Cheers!
I know no one joins the military because of the paid time off to have children—but it’s an incredible benefit, and one that’s still surprisingly rare in the civilian world. Over the past two decades, I’ve personally watched (and benefited from) how military parental leave policies have evolved. Even...
Before I had my first child, I had never seen a woman nurse her baby in real life. Never. I was a product of the 80’s, when formula was the norm and breastfeeding was something just in the background. Breastfeeding a baby just wasn’t something I was exposed to, had any interest in, or knowledge abou...
It feels like anytime I’ve asked a military mom about their kids, they lament that they have missed some sort of event, whether that be school drop offs or a baseball game, shrug and sigh as they say, “Mom guilt.” They sound defeated. When I ask dads about their kids, they beam with pride as they sh...
Since returning from Iraq, I had been re-assigned in the unit to serve as the operations planner when LTC Swartz took over. I had only exchanged a handful of words with him when he took command. Even then, I wasn’t a fan of small talk and there were only a few opportunities for professional exchange...
