I wrote this polyphonal reading (i.e. “many voices”) while stationed in Minot, North Dakota for a wives’Induction Ceremony. Every line is inspired by real Air Force Wives who, along with other military spouses, are a breed of their own. We don’t all want to be “married to the military,” but we are, defacto, and no matter how involved or not we are in “his” world there is much we have in common.
To the spouses who are men, my apologies for leaving you out of this piece. Your own sacrifices include ours plus some, and we are grateful for your brave and humble presence among us.
The piece is designed to be read by four ladies, reader’s theater style. The form reflects the delightful variety among Military Wives as well as the spirit of cooperation and community that binds them together
If you’re a military spouse, I hope it helps to know you are not alone.
If you aren’t military, I hope it gives you a window into our lives, and inspires you to reach out to that new neighbor who is “just temporary.” You will be richer for it.
Jane
Double spacing indicates a pause—a breath, or “beat.” Lists are rapid; staggered words are “jumped” or interrupted lines. Slow the pace at the end. Have fun!
What is A Military Wife?
by Jane Hubbard Hyde
Copyright 2005
1 WHAT is a Military Wife?
2 What IS a Military Wife?
3 What is a Military Wife?
4 A Military Wife can be tough to describe
1 She is a southern belle
2 a Northeastern Mets fan
3 a California 3rd generation recycler
4 a Pacific Islander
1 She is short or tall
2 a tomboy
3 a fashion diva.
4 a physician’s assistant
1 a teacher
2 a Republican
3 a Democrat (yes, EVEN that!)
1 A Military Wife is a career gal
2 a home-schooler
3 a scrap-booker
4 an accomplished cellist
2 an auto mechanic
1 So many kinds
3 many kinds
2 many kinds
4 What IS a Military Wife?
3 WHAT is a Military Wife?
2 What is a Military WIFE?
1 They may look different
2 and each is wonderfully unique
4 But this they have in common
3 This they have
1 They have THIS
ALL IN COMMON!
1 lots of moving
2 moving
3 moving
4 moving far from home
2 moving two cars,
3 kids
and 1 dog
1 –all riding with HER of course
4 moving sofas to basements
b/c it won’t work in THIS house
3 moving curtains that won’t fit
2 moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours
1 moving away from friends
3 moving toward new friends
2 moving her most important luggage:
ALL her trunk-full of memories
4 often waiting-
3 waiting
2 waiting
1 waiting for housing
2 waiting for orders
3 waiting for deployment
4 waiting for reunion
1 waiting for phone calls
3 waiting for the new curtains to arrive
2 waiting for him to come home for dinner
ALL (w/exasperation) –aGAIN!
1 they call her “military dependent”, but she knows better
2 she can balance the checkbook
3 handle the yard work
4 fix a noisy toilet
1 she is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts
3 she can file the taxes
4 sell a house,
2 buy a car
1 or set up a move,
4 –all with ONE Power of Attorney.
3 she welcomes neighbors that don’t welcome her
2 reinvents her career with every PCS
4 locates a house in the desert,
1 the arctic,
3 or the deep south
2 and learns to call them all “home”.
4 She MAKES them all home.
3 She is fiercely
ALL IN-dependent.
2 Military Wives are somewhat hasty
1 They leap into
3 decorating
4 leadership
1 volunteering
2 career alternatives
3 churches
4 and friendships
2 They don’t have 15 years to get to know people
3 Their roots are short but flexible
1 They plant annuals for themselves
4 And perennials for those who come after them.
3 Military Wives quickly learn to value each other
2 They connect over coffee
4 rely on the spouse-network
3 accept offers of friendship and favors
2 and record addresses in pencil.
ALL Air Force Wives have a common bond
1 The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands
2 his commitment is unique
3 He doesn’t have a job, he has a “mission”
4 he can’t just decide to quit
1 he’s on-call for his country 24/7
2 but for you, he’s the most
ALL: UNreliable guy in town!
3 his language is foreign
4 TDY
1 PCS
2 OPR
3 ACC
4 BDU
2 And so, a Military Wife is a translator
for her family and his.
3 She is the long-distance link to keep them informed
1 the glue that holds them together.
4 The Military Wife has her moments–
1 She wants to wring his neck,
2 dye his uniform pink,
3 and refuse to move to Siberia.
4 But she pulls herself together.
2 Give her a few days
1 a travel brochure
3 a long hot bath
2 a pledge to the flag
1 and a wedding picture,
4 And she goes.
3 She packs.
1 She moves.
2 She follows.
1 Why?
3 What for?
2 How come? (Indignantly)
4 You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
1 But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
2 It was stolen from her by a man
3 who puts duty first
4 who longs to deploy
2 who salutes the flag
3 and whose boots in the doorway remind her
4 That as long as he is her Military husband.
3 She will remain
ALL his Military Wife.
What is a Military Wife? 
Jane,
I have been reading this piece as a monologue for a few years to groups of Joint Spouses and Army Spouses (I am an Army wife!). I just found out that YOU wrote it and about it being a “polyphonal” piece. I am so excited. I can give you credit, finally! As a writer myself, it always bothered me that I could not cite the author. I also, and please forgive me but because I didn’t know who wrote it, took a few small liberties with it and changed just a few things to update it. For example, I changed “balance a checkbook” to “balance a budget” as no one really uses check books anymore! And then I changed “can’t wait to deploy” to “stands ready to deploy” because, after all these years of deploying, most Soldiers are not all that eager to do so anymore. Sad, but true. I also noticed that some versions have a lot more acronyms and I had reduced those, but then I see in your original, that you don’t use as many as the others. So that’s great! I also never saw the first several lines above “What is a Military Wife?”. That whole concept of 4 different female voices reading this reader’s theater style is just awesome. It is truly a great piece. Thank you for sharing with the world. And if you can let me know if the changes I made are okay with you, I’d sure appreciate it. I will never read it by myself ever again. I will get 3 wives to join me, for sure. And I’ll make sure we read the whole thing! I hope you see this…
Blessings & Thanks,
Lynda MacFarland
Ft. Hood, Texas
Lynda, thank you so much for the kind words. I am glad you have revised the piece to serve the needs of your community. Since it was actually originally written as “What is an Air Force Wife?” with USAF acronyms, I always intended for some of those details to be fluid and adaptable. And also glad you discovered the “community” aspect of it as a polyphonal reading–it really is fun to perform! Please, use it with my blessings, and with my deep gratitude for all the ways military spouses (and children) serve.