Take Ownership of Deployments
Deployments Are a Great Time To Take Ownership of Your Goals
Deployments are a fact of life for military families. They mean rearranging your family dynamic to accommodate a new, but temporary, way of life. Deployments can mean missing birthdays, holidays, and special occasions with your military member. However, they can also be a time of growth and opportunity to achieve personal and professional goals. What goals have you been putting off? A deployment might just be the perfect time to take ownership and accomplish them.
Ways to Own Your Deployment
Focusing on conquering your fitness, learning a new skill, being adventurous, and advancing your professional skills will allow you to look at deployment in a positive light. Use this time strategically to advance yourself both personally and professionally.
Conquer Your Health and Fitness
Make your health a top priority during a deployment by tackling your health and fitness goals. If your fitness goal means getting back to the gym, then take advantage of your ability to use the installation’s fitness center. Fitness centers often offer free classes and group trainers, so be sure to inquire with the front desk staff. If home gyms are more your style, many fitness equipment companies offer military discounts on home gym items, so be sure to check their websites for details.
For those that have children, most installation’s fitness centers now offer a parent-child area, allowing you to workout with children in tow. If you prefer off base fitness centers, then be sure to research your local gyms to see if they offer a military discount. My Military Benefits has a great resource for discounts regarding gym memberships.
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Learn Something New
Want to learn how to play an instrument or make stew from scratch? This is a perfect time to dive into learning a new skill or trying something new. Deployments often leave us with extra time on our hands or sleepless nights. Use that time to develop a skill you have been wanting to learn.
Check your local installation for group classes. Most installations have community centers that offer a wide range of activities, specifically designed for spouses such as painting, woodworking, sewing, cooking, fishing, hiking, geocaching, wine tasting, and much more.
Go on an Adventure
Depending on where you live and what time of year the deployment occurs, they can oftentimes become isolating, fight that urge and get out and explore. Exploring your city as a tourist is always a fun way to get out and experience new things in your area.
Installations have outdoor recreation facilities that offer discounts on trips or recreation equipment for military spouses during deployments, take advantage and go on a new adventure. Always check museums, children’s activity centers, and local tourist attractions for military discounts before heading out the door. Federal Parks also offer free military passes.
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Advance Professionally
Family life can be hectic and time-consuming which leaves you with little to no time to take advantage of advanced certification courses or start college altogether. Deployments are a great opportunity to develop your professional skills. With many college courses and certifications offered online, it allows you the ability to fit them into your schedule.
With many resources available to military spouses going to college or getting a new certification is easier than ever. My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program consists of $4,000 in financial assistance towards an associate degree, certification, or licensing.
Deployments can be a rough time for military families, by taking control of your deployment and using that time strategically to accomplish your goals you can turn a deployment into a time of personal growth. Having something positive to focus on will help the time go by and is a great strategy to keep your spirits up during the tough times.
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About the author
Lori Waddell serves as Co-director of an emergency response COAD in Montana, a freelance writer, and an Air Force Key Spouse. She is passionate about empowering communities and individuals through knowledge and resources. She currently lives in Montana with her husband and two children.
