Military Moms Unite

Being a Mom is hard enough, being a military mom just upped the ante. We aren't in it alone but we all have our own beliefs, religions, rules and yet we all unite in support of our children.

There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one. —Jill Churchill

Beyond Beliefs, Religion and Political Views we are all Moms

I am a military mom, times two. I thought the first round was tough because I had no idea how to navigate this military mom life. I met some amazing women who are still part of my life. While that initial journey was emotionally tough, I felt somewhat prepared for it because I am very Pro-Military. I was beaming with proudness (this is a word i checked it out), had my Navy Mom stickers on my car and wore my T-shirts proudly. The day I received my blue star flag I wanted the world to see it. That’s how we military mommas do things, big, loud and proud!

Of course, over time she left schooling and entered the “fleet”, even though she never saw a ship, she was always shore duty in a hospital. I made connections with moms who I normally wouldn’t have connected with because we were all so different in ways of religion, beliefs, upbringing and politically. We immediately agreed to disagree on our political stance. At first, I had a hard time understanding how you could be so anti-government and have a child serving. That took time to understand it was their child who made the decision to enlist beyond their parent’s beliefs or political stance.

I then watched my daughter in a heavily male field try and succeed, it tested all my beliefs and ideas. It was not easy for her, she even brought home some lasting effects. As a mom, I was there to listen and not place judgement or impose ideas. I vented to my navy moms who had sons in the military and they never faulted me for what I ever said. I found a group of women who could go beyond all borders or beliefs, religious and political. We were just moms raising heroes. We all loved our kids and that was the true core of our bond. We all had our babies choosing to serve and put their life on the line, watch some succeed and some fail, but we always loved and supported each other.

Now I am in phase two, my youngest daughter is also choosing the military life. She is choosing the USMC ~ Oorah! Yes, I had to wrap my head around this one. My girly girl wants to shoot guns and play in the dirt, her words not mine. I swallowed hard and conferred with a few of my navy mommas for guidance. While at first, I did not understand her choice I supported it. You know what, so did my navy mom friend’s. Because no matter what they are all fighting on the same team. Now I was making new military mom friends, the MoMs “Mom of a Marine”. Yes, while my daughter is considered a Poolee until she earns the marine title, we are all uniting to support our kids. I have to say this group of moms is more outspoken than my navy mom group.

Yet the feeling is the same, we are all united by our children and I find we are more tolerable to our differences in race, religion and beliefs. In fact, this morning a mom posted a very serious and well written commentary about supporting her son and having certain beliefs. At first, I read it and was like what is this. Then I re-read and viewed it as a mom not a conservative Republican. I didn’t pick a political side I simply read it as a mom trying to also understand her son’s choice. It was then I realized that while we military moms do take a beating in the world for “allowing” our children to serve, we as MoMs have chosen to out aside our differences to unite for our children.

I am very proud to be a military mom and will defend my children’s choice to serve. I do deal with people questioning me and I have learned to put that aside and defend and support my child. I have learned to lean on a group of moms who I wouldn’t have normally connected with, because they too go through the emotional roller coaster of military life with me. I have even learned to accept my daughter’s choice of political views which are very different from mine, because that is what makes us amazing humans. We have the right to choose, to think freely and speak our minds.

I believe that all people should be able to put aside their beliefs and accept everyone else’s even if it is not in line with their beliefs. Now I am not tolerable to ones to who feel the need to make you believe their point or get angry and yell because you can’t see why their view is the only way. Those people honestly need to sit down and reflect on why they are so intense as to lose a friendship over it. Who knew, that one small post would make me sit in awe on how tolerable and accepting we military moms can be. I am sure there are other groups who go through the same thing but it is amazing to me in this particular group how we have kids serving and we are willing to put aside race, color gender, sexual preference, religion and political beliefs to unite.

I am very blessed to have found this wonderful group of moms even if I have one group that’s Navy and one group that’s Marines, a few of us have places on both sides. In the world we live today it is so crucial to support our children’s decisions no matter what and unite as moms, as parents that we are all doing our best and we all love our kids no matter what. We unite beyond all boundaries.