Duty Station

Before moving to Fort Gordon, Georgia I had no expectations. A lifelong Westerner, I assumed that Georgia would be similar to the base we were leaving, Fort Bragg in North Carolina. I figured it would be a slightly hotter, slightly...

Our little family is LOVING Okinawa, Japan. We love living the island lifestyle, and we also really love how kid-friendly and kid-focused the Japanese are. There are nursing rooms everywhere, kids are welcomed at almost all restaurants, and if...

When we received orders to Virginia, my first feeling was relief. After nine consecutive years overseas, I was ready for a break and some American amenities.  It was easy to think of certain things I missed, like one-stop grocery...

We live near a large Army base in South Carolina. When we first moved here almost three years ago, we were excited at the prospect of being near so many other military families and being able to take advantage...

Is this your first year in San Antonio? Have you heard people talk about Fiesta but wonder what it is all about? Or has someone at work smashed a hollow egg filled with confetti on your head and you...

The first time I heard of Fort Bliss, Texas, I wasn't entirely convinced that we weren't moving to Mexico. El Paso, Texas, bordering Juárez, Mexico was not on my radar and certainly not on my "wish list" of duty...

When my husband and I lived in Petersburg, Virginia, just outside of Fort Lee, we were fresh out of AIT (advanced individual training) and low in rank and worldly experience. Our apartment complex, which shall remain nameless to protect the...

Ya’ll. I have lived in Texas for 10 of the 15 years that my husband has been in the Air Force. Turns out there are a lot of Air Force Bases in Texas. Who knew!? I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. I...

We all wait for it - the moment those orders officially arrive telling us where to next and when. Whether it is good news or bad news, we start planning for the upcoming PCS (Permanent Change of Station) -...

Springtime is historically a time of rebirth and growth. No place is this more true than Japan. Spring brings Sakura, the beautiful cherry blossoms season. They only last a short time when they are again dormant until next year's season...

As the summer approaches, many of us will pick up our family and all that we know to move across the country, or even the world for our spouse’s job. This isn’t new to us. As military families, we...

My daughter just turned one, and I keep crying about it. It’s been a year since this little one came careening into the world two days overdue. After the drawn out births of my first two children, I expected hours...