Canadian Military Life..What it's really Like Part 1

Military life is not a life for everyone. That's for sure. It's not even a life for half the population. It's hard, it's always changing, and full of hurry up and wait's and suck it up buttercups.

It has it's ups and downs, just like everyone else's life. We don't have it easier, and we don't really have it harder, we just have it different.

I have a few friends who say "I don't know how you do it, moving all the time."

First off, we don't move ALL the time. My family has moved every 2 years for the last 7 years. But not every military family moves that often. My husband is an infantry officer, Officers tend to move around more often then NCM (non-commissioned members). Some military personnel, spend most of their career in one or two locations. 

Moving is actually kinda fun. I have had the opportunity to drive all the way (ok pretty near) across the country 5 times. We have gone the Ontario Northern route, we have taken the Ontario Southern route (around the lakes) and we have driven through the states around the lakes. Since a lot of people in Canada NEVER get the opportunity in their lives to drive across the country 1 time, I would count myself and my family very lucky to have been able to do it 5 times and Jeremy hasn't retired yet, so hard to say how many more times we have left.

Each time we drive across the country, we try to stop at as many different towns/locations as possible. This keeps the adventure new and exciting. I love moving and I hope that the girls will love it as much when they are older as they do now.

"Base housing is free, and you don't pay for utilities"

Ok, so this statement is so false it's not even funny. PMQ rent comes off the members pay check, before he/she gets paid, CFHA (Canadian Forces Housing Association) gets their pay. We have to pay our own utilities, and they do not comes with stoves, fridges, or washer and dryers. We need to purchase these items before moving in. Even apartments come with appliances! lol

"Military Families can go to the Doctors on Base"

Nope, We can't. Like anyone else who moves provinces, we have to find our own doctors. Which is really difficult in most provinces and we end up going to walk in clinics as our only way to see a doctor, it makes it very stressful for the families and I really wish there was a better solution or more doctors so that we can all have family doctors.