I have always joked that I don’t wear my husband’s rank, I wear his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). I am extremely proud of my husband’s job. My husband is an infantryman. Basically when others are trained to avoid fighting or maybe shy away from it, he’s trained to run straight for it, to put it in the most simple terms.

 Over the past few weeks, I have met and started to get to know quite a few chaplains’ wives. Two of them in particular are spectacularly wonderful. Funny, down-to-earth and… well.. human. WHAT? Human? Chaplains’ wives? I know, right? I knew my husband’s last Chaplain’s wive in passing. It wasn’t because she wasn’t approachable. It was because I thought she wasn’t.

 Last week during a meeting, I jokingly told one of them that she needed to behave because she was a Chaplain’s wive. I’m not sure why, but it occurred to me then that as much as I valued her as a person I saw her first as just that: A Chaplain’s wife.

 While knowing what I know about both of these women, I am almost positive neither one of them consider their husband’s title or position of Chaplain a burden. However, I wonder if the title of “Chaplain’s wife” can be? To be viewed as an extension of your husband’s career at all times can be exhausting – and that can be how the Army is. But to be considered an extension of your husband’s career at such a high level? No matter how devoted to your faith you are? I cannot even begin to imagine.

 As an infantryman’s wife, after all, I’m not expected to start talking about guns, fighting positions, clearing rooms or things such as that. If I were in a situation where firepower were needed, no one would turn to me and yell, “YOU’RE AN INFANTRYMAN’S WIFE… DO SOMETHING!!!” Frankly, if someone counted on me for protection in a physical form, they would be sadly disappointed.

 I have the luxury of being proud of my husband. Of boasting of his career choices and job, without the added and potential burden of always having to be “on” in public.

 Again, I’m sure it’s not a burden to them – or if it is, it’s not an ongoing, life-altering one – it just came to my mind recently that Chaplains’ wives may carry a bit more of a burden than many wives in the military realize.