Meet the Greenwood family: Sam, Hannah, Harry (7), Aubrey (4), and Monty, the Jack Russell. Sam was a soldier long before he met his wife of almost 11 years, so military life is all Hannah has known of married life…
I am extremely proud to call us a military family. Like everything in life, you get out of it what you put in, and I think it’s important to recognise the fantastic experiences being married to a soldier can bring you.
I’ve had some wonderful opportunities, including seeing The Queen at Buckingham Palace garden parties.
The hardest points have been when Sam has deployed to Afghanistan and it’s also been very difficult during the last six months as he’s deployed abroad without any R&R due to COVID-19. It’s the longest continuous amount of time we’ve been apart, and we’ve missed him during these uncertain times.
Where to put down roots
We lived in army accommodation in Windsor for five years, and whilst life was good, I never felt quite at home as a Yorkshire lass down south. When Harry was two, we made the decision to buy our own home back in Yorkshire in the village where I grew up. Although living married unaccompanied was hard, getting our foot on the property ladder and settling somewhere has been the best decision we ever made.
Family support
Harry was diagnosed with autism and epilepsy when I was pregnant with Aubrey, and without the support of my family and friends at that time, I don’t know how I would have coped. Having our family close has also helped with childcare, allowing me the opportunity to go to university, where I’m now in my second year studying to be an occupational therapist.
Advice to others
Our advice to any new army family would be to try everything on offer with a positive attitude, regret nothing and always write your plans in pencil!
Whether married or single, parent, partner, cousin or child of a soldier, we want you to tell us all about your army family. Follow @ArmyandYou on social media for more stories