With their many moves, most military families develop a course of action, one that likely engenders more scrutiny for means of improvement than any other element of military family life. We have our own: Clean sheets, toiletry kits, a pillow each, and two towels remain with us throughout the move. When movers inquire innocently as to what hotel we're staying in on the night of a move, we crawl over boxes and simply respond "here." This usually earns us a horrified look from the individuals who then gaze over our crammed home full of closed boxes and furniture, but we know that we have everything we need readily available-items for washing up after a long day and a clean place to sleep. 

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I remember distinctly the conversation my mother and I had about my new boyfriend whom she had not yet met. I was a college student at the time and had fallen head over heels for a "man" who was in the United States Air Force. Hesitantly, and even reluctantly, I mentioned this to her thinking she'd object immediately. After all, I knew very little about the military and what I thought I knew of it was unfairly negative. 

"Think of the benefits!" she exclaimed. 

Understandably, my mother immediately imagined a life of travel, medical access and a retirement plan. In other words, security.