Husbands on the home front

[NATS: Open it!]

WHEN ELYSIA NG DEPLOYED TO BAHRAIN IN 2007, HER HUSBAND FOUND A WAY TO KEEP HER CLOSE BY FOR THEIR DAUGHTER, CLEMENTINE.

[NATS: Ta da!]

SOT MITJA NG-BAUMHACKL, CIVILIAN HUSBAND: I basically made this laminated life-sized version of my wife.

MITJA NG-BAUMHACKL IS PART OF A SMALL GROUP OF CIVILIAN HUSBANDS MARRIED TO WOMEN ON ACTIVE DUTY. HIS WIFE IS A LIEUTENANT COMMANDER WITH THE NAVYS JAG CORPS.

SOT MITJA NG-BAUMHACKL: People are not used to the image of first off maybe with men staying at home taking care of their children, but on top of it male spouses of military enlisted or officers is less, ya know, its not very common.

SOT SUE HOPPIN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR SPOUSE OUTREACH, MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA: I think the stereotype of the military spouse is a woman whos holding down the homefront.

MEN ARE A MINORITY ON THE HOMEFRONT.

ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, MORE THAN 624,000 CIVILIAN WOMEN ARE MARRIED TO MEN ON ACTIVE DUTY. THATS COMPARED WITH ONLY ABOUT 47,000 CIVILIAN HUSBANDS.

SOT MITJA NG-BAUMHACKL: Whenever you look at, ya know, you try to find information there is none specifically tailored to men. But I think many of the issues are the same. Theres an element of being invisible though.

SOT SUE HOPPIN: I think its more difficult for them to find other males to bond with because I think some issues are universal, regardless of whether youre male or female, but sometimes you just want to go have a beer instead of going to the tea or the luncheon.

CLARENCE NORTON SAYS HE WAS WELL-SERVED BY THE MILITARYS SUPPORT SYSTEM DURING HIS WIFES DEPLOYMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD TO BOSNIA AND KUWAIT.

SOT CLARENCE NORTON, CIVILIAN HUSBAND: They reached out to us just like they would a female.

SOME MILITARY HUSBANDS LIKE NG-BAUMHACKL ARE REACHING OUT TO ONE ANOTHER ONLINE.

SOT MITJA NG-BAUMHACKL: Its just sort of the common connection that youre the odd duck.

SOT CLARENCE NORTON: There are times Im saying like maybe it should be the other way around where shes at home and youre in the military and youre out and about going to different deployments and stuff like that, but ya know it is what it is and Ive accepted that.

SHARON NORTON SAYS HER HUSBAND STANDS HIS GROUND WHEN CONFRONTED WITH GENDER STEREOTYPESBUT SHE ADMITS LEAVING HIM TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR HOME WAS DIFFICULT.

SOT SHARON NORTON, SERVICE MEMBER, NATIONAL GUARD: I really worried because ya know to make marriage as great as it is, it takes the two and the weaknesses and the strengths make the puzzle pieces match.

KEEPING THOSE PUZZLE PIECES TOGETHER IS SOMETHING NORTON AND NG-BAUMHACKL ARE SKILLED AT, WHETHER OR NOT THEIR WIVES ARE AT HOME.

[NATS: Ta da!]

FOR UPI.COM, IM MELISSE HINKLE

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• military
• defense
• navy
• national
• guard
• husband
• wife
• home
• front
• civilian
• active
• duty
• enlisted
• officer
• spouse
• deploy
• news

[mamajamba22]

@ytuseruber

it's funny that we can tell through your comments that you think you're extremely intelligent. the best part about that is that you are completely ignorant and it's kinda hilarious.

[bdsmfreaksub]

@ytuseruber

why should women cower behind their husbands, why should men be the head of defense, you must have been a bully as a kid because only an idiot would assume that shit.

[lmj143]

Also, I really enjoyed this video! I was just reading a post on a friend's FB wall about being a military spouse, and it struck me how many people's first assumption is that the term "military spouse" refers only to a civilian wife. I thought this short video helped to remind us that there are thousands of women bravely serving our country with husbands at home as well! Let's not forget our military women and their spouses who sacrifice just as much and deserve to be recognized as well.

[lmj143]

@ytuseruber: I have to say that I disagree, and I am a bit confused by your statement below. I don't understand your use of the word "shameful" in this context. It is a great opportunity for both men and women to be able to serve their country proudly. In an effort to understand your comment better, are you saying that you believe women should not have the same opportunity to serve, and instead we should only allow men to serve in our armed forces?

[ytuseruber]

If he goes to dinner with his wife and they encounter a criminal or mugger, does she leap forward and defend her "husband" from harm? This isn't about "stereotypes," it's about facts of biology, and millennia of culture and morality. When a nation sends its women to fight while its able-bodied men stay at home, that is a culture in serious confusion and decay. Shameful.

[beancube2008]

When we allow governments do whatever for somebody's money, we will do whatever for their money. If money is the reason to wars, we better let the government have it, so it won't go to somebody's procession. Do you know how to finance stopping wars? Worldwide domestic warehouses with non-profit infrastructures so nobody declare war for shortages.

[idgirl97]

aww