Things People Say That Make Military Families Laugh

As a military spouse, there are lots of things people say to me that make me laugh. I remember when we were going through our first deployment, we were about 3 months into it, and I was talking to this lady in the grocery store. Somehow it came up that my husband was in the military and he was currently overseas. The lady then tries to empathize with me and says, “Oh I know, my husband was gone for like a week and I was a mess.” Now that made me laugh! You just can’t compare a week long work trip to a 9 month deployment. After that, I decided to ask a few military spouses what people have said to them in the past that makes them laugh.

What is the one thing people say to you regarding Active Duty or a military spouse that makes you laugh?

“Oh he’s gone? Do you miss him?”

I’ve had an intelligent lady ask me why I don’t travel more, since airfare is free with my husband being in the Air Force. “Ummm. Not so much! No Freebies here!”

They assume we get FREE housing and that it is a mansion compared to what they are living in.

“It must be romantic.”

They assume we get paid so much because we are in the military. “Yeah right!”

They think we know what is going on in the world. “You and CNN probably know more than me!”

“How do you let him do that?” LOL Should I chain him up and kill his dreams.

“Wow he works that many hours. You get paid overtime right?”

They assume I know all the country’s secrets since my husband has a top security clearance.

“I was recently told by a man knowing nothing about the military that I kick back and relax all day while my husband does the hard work. And that we must get paid enough ‘to live the good life’ once he retires in a couple of years.”

…..and the one comment military families like hearing when said to their loved one is….”Thank you for your service.”

What comments have you heard people say to military families that make you laugh?