When the 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade deployed to Afghanistan in early 2019, many spouses were confronted with difficulty of having to say goodbye to their Soldiers. However, many traveled into the fight side-by-side. Dual military couples, like Staff Sgt. David Lee and his wife Staff Sgt. Kayla Lee, and Staff Sgt. Lekisha Hogg and her husband Sgt. 1st Class Edsel Hogg are deployed together and share what it is like to be married on the battlefield.
The Hoggs are deployed to the same Train Advise Assist Command in Afghanistan and work on the same task force. They see each other every day here and Hogg is happy she is able to do so.
“Being deployed with my spouse is amazing,” Hogg said. “We are fortunate to be living together currently. We go to lunch and dinner together every day.”
Hogg claims that there are many benefits with being deployed with her husband. However, she admits there are challenges, such as the limited time they have together due to their work in the Army.
“As a dual military couple, there are struggles and logistical challenges,” Hogg said. “When it is time to PCS, it can be hard to find a position for both of us at a particular location. My husband is currently on orders to PCS from Fort Bliss and I am still waiting on my next assignment.”
For Lee, while he and his wife are both deployed, they are separated by TAACs and task forces. They may benefit from being in the same time zone, but their deployment does not allow them the ability to see one another.
“It would be no different than being back in the states,” Lee said. “The only difference is the distance.”
Despite the distance, being dual military benefits their relationship because he and his wife have an understanding of the hardships and processes that happen while serving in the Army.
“She is able to understand what I’m dealing with, I’m able to understand what she’s dealing with and we’ll be able to talk it out and we’ll be able to get through whatever issues that we have,” Lee said. “Neither one of us has to deal with whatever issue is going on with just one person. We’re both dealing with the same issues, same problems together.”
Hogg shares this mentality. She says that being dual military has made her marriage stronger.
“We don't have to explain why we are going to the field or why we can't just go wherever we want,” Hogg said. “We both know and understand that the mission comes first and that we took an oath and signed a contract. I enjoy being able to talk to my husband about various aspects of my day and the only things that I may have to explain to him are the terms we use in my job. Overall, we both get it.”
Dual military couples experience many advantages, but at the same time face many challenges that differ from other households. Nevertheless, the Army continuously focuses efforts to preserve the memories of Soldiers and their families, honor their service and help educate the American public about the Army’s contributions to the nation.