By Terri Barnes
Published: January 30, 2008
What will life be like after retirement? As one who grew up in the Air Force, I find it hard to imagine. Perhaps I'll experience culture shock beyond any I've found in our overseas tours.
This week's Spouse Calls (Click here to read) isa letter from a spouse who has encountered many difficulties on the road to retirement. Her experiences illustrate the need for planning and preparation when it's time for this major life change.
By Terri Barnes
Published: January 20, 2008
"What's that sound, Mommy?" My2-year-old son looked up from splashing in his bath. It was aSunday afternoon in August, a summer day; but then every day is summer on Guam.
"Just an airplane, sweetie," I said, picking up the wash cloth and swishing it over his back. Alifetime of living near the flightline had inured me to aircraftsounds.Still, I thought, that must be a big one.I wondered why the roaring sound didn't fade away as the plane passed over.
By Terri Barnes
Published: January 13, 2008
Do military families experience more than their share of natural disasters? I don't know, but I have seen the military community cross paths a few times with flood, fire and storms:
- Guam is home to several military installations and is popular with typhoons in the South Pacific. It was hit in 1997by Paka, a super typhoon with some of the highest wind speeds ever recorded. In this week's Spouse Calls, Cheryl Stark tells how her family weathered that storm. (Click here to read.)
- Hurricane Katrina in 2005 affected many military families stationed along the Gulf Coast.
- Major flooding and fires in North Dakota affected military families near Grand Forks AFB in 1997.
- Hurricane Andrew destroyed Homestead AFB,Florida, in 1992. The base was subsequently closed.
- Mt. Pinotubo's eruption in 1991 hastened the closure of Clark AB in the Philippines. Some military members and families were moved from the Philippines toGuam when we were stationed at Andersen AB in 1992. After fleeing thevolcano, those families experienced with us ....
- Five typoons and an earthquake (registering 8.3 on the Richter Scale) visited Guam during our two years there. (We also found a snake in our bathroom. Does that count as a natural disaster? It registered on my Richter Scale.)
You may have another to add to this list. Cheryl says in this week's Spouse Calls that the disaster her family experienced made them stronger. Do you have a story to tell? Share it here.
By Terri Barnes
Published: January 6, 2008
Finding a job is a challenge for many military spouses. This quest iseven more difficult when an ocean separates the spouse from his or herprospective job market.
This week's Spouse Calls (click here to read)calls on Janet Farley, a military spouse and author of several books on career and workplace issues, to help with a question about an overseas job search.
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