Rosie & Josh have been together for ten years and married since 2017. Josh started at Sandhurst when the couple had been going out for just seven months, so the army has pretty much always been a part of their relationship…
Since getting married, we’ve lived in Wyton, York, Aldershot and Manchester and have recently been posted to Tamil Nadu, India as Josh is attending Defence Services Staff College, says Rosie.
I really love army life! We both enjoy moving around and living in different places.
There are opportunities that you just don’t get in civilian jobs and it feels like a privilege to be able to make the most of them as a couple. For me, it’s really important to be involved in each ‘patch’ community we live in; the friends I’ve made through the army are some of my closest.
MAKING THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITIES
The best points are the excitement and adventure of living somewhere new; the opportunities to meet new people and the pride I feel for everything my husband has achieved.
There have been times when I’ve found it difficult to fit a career around the army, but I’ve always sought out opportunities to work or volunteer; I write on job applications that being an army spouse means I’m resilient, adaptable and able to fit into new situations quickly – all traits that employers like!
FABULOUS FAMILIES
Both of our families are incredibly supportive of us, and especially me when Josh has deployed on operations.
My army spouse friends are also tremendously important to me and are the best people to talk to during the tougher times, because they completely understand what army life is like.
York has been our favourite posting as it’s such a fun city with beautiful countryside nearby, and the patch in Strensall is so sociable and friendly.
GET SOCIAL
If you’re new to army life or moving to a new area, my advice would be to join the local Facebook group so you can ask questions about your new location – housing, schools and events – in advance.
Whatever your relationship to your soldier, we’d love to hear about your army family. Email us at editor@aff.org.uk and follow @ArmyandYou on social media for more stories.