Introduction

Greetings! My name is Claire, and I am a Blue Star mom, and my husband was in the military until late last year. He is currently rehabbing a fracture sustained in training at Ft. Benning. When he rejoins he will be an Officer in the Army Reserves.

When my oldest son was deployed last year I started blogging to cope with the emotional upheaval I was experiencing. I was not on a military base at that time, so an empathetic shoulder was hard to find. My blog became my tool for pouring out my fear, my pride, and the whole other range of emotions that needed to be spoken. Through writing I wound up meeting other parents of soldiers who felt the same turmoil that I was feeling. I also connected with other military spouses. The fears and struggles as the mother of a deployed soldier and the wife of a deployed soldier are different, but they are similar enough to establish a common ground for support and mutual appreciation.

I have met many new friends — both wives and mothers — who relate to what I write. We have supported one another through the hardest times — the black outs, the news reports of death and injury, and the phone calls informing us of injuries sustained.

I am looking forward to writing at You Served. We will explore the joys, stresses, triumphs and times of sadness together. Check back often and let me know what’s on your mind. We are in this together!