My husband earns 2-1/2 days per month to use as leave or vacation time. This amounts to 30 days per year. Of course, this does not mean that he takes a four-week vacation from Central Command every year.
He tries to use at least two weeks each year, but it usually depends on the assignment he has at the time. In the past, he has also taken what he calls "working leave," which means he goes to work later in the morning (around 9) and tries to leave MacDill Air Force Base as early as possible in the afternoon, instead of coming home in the evening. I admit that I have never understood the point of "working leave," but the hours are much better.
If my husband is making a transition from one assignment to another, it is much easier for him to use all 30 days of his leave. We can visit our respective parents, relatives and friends. Since our parents and siblings - both his and mine - live in the same state, it makes things a lot easier.
This summer, my husband, our two boys and I spent a week at a South Carolina beach celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, along with the rest of my siblings and their families.
I always look forward to catching up on the latest life events surrounding my three sisters, two brothers and their families.
My husband uses his vacation time to relax and unwind. I am not sure how much peace and quiet he got on this vacation, since he had to be in a house with me, my parents, my siblings, their spouses and all of the kids. I believe the final count in the beach house was 25 adults and children, not including two babies!.
However, it was a huge cottage that fit all of us comfortably, and we were at the beach - our favorite place to go on vacation. Plus, my husband played three rounds of golf, which is more than he has been able to play since moving to Florida, the golfer's paradise, more than a year ago.
Aside from the customary family photo (taken on the beach with my entire family wearing red, white or blue this year), he really enjoyed the entire week, even with the constant noise, endless stream of kids going in and out the doors, and the lumpy beds and couches.
One of my sisters mentioned that the whole family should go on a cruise next year. Since my husband and I have already been on two cruises, I think that the chance of our going would be about 50/50. But I must remember to remind him that a cruise ship is large enough to lose anyone, even 25 family members.
- Lory Johnson of Valrico chronicles the life of an Army wife. Her husband is assigned to Central Command.
