Unspoken and Spoken Military wife 'rules'

 I wrote a post a few days back about how I have been noticing young military girlfriends and wives using bad language and such. I came across a site about military wife etiquette and thought it was appropriate. 

Now remember we dont have 'rules' per say but we are expected to act a certain way, in a certain situation. Is your etiquette up to par??

"Life in the military world is full of challenges. While many of these challenges are faced by the one who is serving, military spouses also have rules, both spoken and unspoken, that should be followed to reflect well on the military member." 

 The mens rules while in uniform..a must know.

PDA

Because members are required to maintain professionalism in uniform, PDA is typically frowned upon except in certain situations. For instance, moderate kissing and hugging is acceptable when there’s a homecoming or deployment. Even if it wasn’t allowed during homecoming, I know no one would be able to enforce it!

Hands

Regarding your spouse’s hands, there are a few things you should know:

• Pockets: Despite the multiple pockets your spouses uniform, service members are not allowed to keep their hands in their pockets. You might not cause them to break the rule, but you can help by keeping an eye out to remind them.
• Handholding: Military personnel are not allowed to hold hands while in uniform. Males may escort women, or help the elderly but affectionate handholding is a no-no. Some spouses have mentioned locking elbows with your spouse is an acceptable practice, so check with your specific command to determine your installation’s rules.
• Right Hand: Your spouse is required to keep his or her right hand empty in order to salute at any time. That means your spouse may need some assistance when carrying heavy loads.

 Walking
Walking is not a complicated task, but service members in uniform have to pay special attention to a few rules.

• Eating/Drinking: Service members are not supposed to eat or drink anything while they are walking. While driving, it may be acceptable depending on where you’re stationed.
• Cell Phone: One wife posted to a discussion on MilSpouse about her surprise when her husband said he couldn’t call her on the phone because he couldn’t stand still. Then she learned he was simply following a “no walk and talk” cell phone rule.
• Left Side: When you are walking somewhere with your spouse, be sure to walk on their left side. Otherwise you may get in the way when they need to salute.

 Other Tidbits
Some rules are not always clear or enforced, while others are more of community-enforced guidelines. Here are some to consider:

• Smoking: There is a lot of variation when it comes to the regulations of smoking. Some installations don’t allow it at all in uniform, others may allow it while standing, and in some instances it’s permissible at all times. Be sure to learn the protocol of your area.
• Gum: It may be considered unprofessional for your spouse to chew gum in uniform.
• Sharing Uniform: Your spouse may get in trouble if photos of you or others are seen wearing their uniform. It may also be considered disrespectful for spouses to wear PTs.
• Umbrellas: There is still debate over the umbrella rule across the different branches. Often, uniformed members are not allowed to carry an umbrella. In some cases, females are allowed to carry one as long as it is solid black.

 Fraternization

One of the most controversial subjects among wives is rank. The best thing to remember is that your husbands rand is his and not yours. He earned his rank, you did not. In the same respect the military does not mandate the activities of wives. There are many myths about wives of higher ranking military members not being able to associate with wives of the lower ranking men. This is not true. We can associate with whomever we want.

Obligations 

You should never feel obligated to attend military functions such as retirement ceremonies, going away, promotions ceremonies and more. During a time of deployment you might want to involve yourself in some of the events in order to stay active and involved, helping you feel less alone. Remember we are all here for you.

Capabilities

One of the main roles of a military wife is to handle life at home while her husband is away for a long period of time. For this reason, wives should make themselves aware of all financial dealings within the household. Always make sure you have a General Power of Attorney for your husband while he is away so that you have the authority to act on his behalf on all legal matters. A well-informed wife is a valuable asset to her military member..always..

Discretion

Finally, you must be discreet about any information you are given regarding any military matter, be it official or personal. Wives are often given deployment dates and locations and even information on missions. This type of data should never be repeated to any other person, under any circumstances. This involves developing a way to communicate with your family and your husband's family without hurting feelings or revealing any information. Make all of these people aware in person that you cannot share information with them. You should also keep from discussing such matters with other wives. You don’t know what their husband has chosen to tell them already. You don’t want to risk getting your husband in trouble for telling you something others do not know.  



Remember OPSEC Here is more on that http://pinterest.com/pin/243405554832925425/

 Walk on the left side to make it easier for your military spouse to salute a higher rank with their right hand. REMEMBER YOU DO NOT SALUTE ANYONE..EVER SILLY LADY!

Learn recognize ranks and the proper way to address them.

Always RSVP when asked and write thank you notes.






Just remember to always be polite. You never know who the wife is next to you. You want to represent your military member the best way possible at all times!!

I wrote this blog fast!! Sorry for errors and how unorganized it is!