deployment Archives - Blog Brigade

Sydney’s child holding a large starfish while standing in shallow water.

Summer Days Stationed at JBLM

By Sydney Smith Aug 25, 2026Military Life

It’s funny how perspective can change so drastically from one duty station to the next.

Staying Strong When Deployment Days Feel Endless

By Lizann Lightfoot Jul 14, 2026Deployment

If you’re going through a deployment in the summer, those long, hot days can feel like the hardest part. The days blur together with endless heat, solo parenting, and the emotional weight …

Lizann’s family smiling together in a sunflower field, with four children dressed in blue outfits under a bright summer sky.

Freedom, In Practice

By Lauren Hagee Glintz Jul 1, 2026Military Life

This July, with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I find myself more reflective than usual about my relationship with my country. That relationship started long before …

Lauren sitting on stone steps outside a government building, smiling while wearing a plaid shirt and black pants in bright daylight.

The Mental Load of Being Alone

By Lauren Hagee Glintz Jun 23, 2026Health & Wellness

The other night, I was cleaning up dinner, my two children at my feet, when the fire alarms throughout our house began blasting. Of course, the baby started crying. Of course, my …

Lauren and two young children pose at a playground, with a baby in a swing and an older child gently pushing under a clear blue sky.

Dadless Dinners: How We Simplify Meals When Dad’s Away

By Sydney Smith Jun 16, 2026Parenting

There aren’t many things I can say I look forward to when my husband leaves. But there are a few itty-bitty pleasures I secretly enjoy — such as sleeping in the middle …

Children sit at a small outdoor table on grass, smiling and eating macaroni, peas and nuggets, with drinks beside them in bright sunlight.

You Know You’re a Military Spouse When…

By Sydney Smith Mar 10, 2026Military Life

Being a military spouse means living in a unique world that doesn’t always make sense to people on the outside. It’s a life measured less by the normal up and down rhythm …

Topic: Deployment

Summer Days Stationed at JBLM