The CHU Life by Lowde, Mona

They said, “Write an article about what it is like to be deployed with your spouse and make it funny.” When told to do something by a superior sometimes you feel like you have no other choice, but you always have a choice. This story is about a choice and the results of that choice.

My Soldier, we will call her PFC Lowde, Mona, came to me about an article that she was to write for our units newsletter. She was asked to write about being deployed with her spouse. She did not really want to write an article about anything, much less one about her deployment life with her husband. Then she said the miraculous words, “They said to make it funny.” I told her I would help her write a funny story. Of course, I already had ideas running through my mind.

About two weeks prior to this article, I took PFC Lowde to the clinic to get a vaccination. The Soldier behind the counter looked up and said to PFC Lowde, “Hey, you live in POD 9414, right?” she replied, “Yeah, why?” He said, “You’re the loud one!” I then looked up and asked, “What do you mean? Is she playing her music too loud or is her TV up too loud?” he replied, “Well, I guess it could be her TV sometimes, but then I would wonder what she was watching.” PFC Lowde’s face turned as red as the inside of a watermelon and she attempted to veil herself with a magazine.

The other incident that you must know about before reading the article is about an investigation, which resulted in the apprehension of a Soldier from the CHU (Consolidated Housing Unit) across from PFC Lowde’s CHU. Someone found the Soldier’s digital media reader, containing child pornography, at the gym after he left it unattended. CID Agents conducted an investigation resulting in the apprehension of the owner of the media reader.

The article as it should have been:

The CHU Life by PFC Lowde, Mona

Being deployed with my spouse is fantastic! It is comforting to have a loved one here with me to lean on and to help me deal with the stressors of deployment. I can sleep easy without having to worry about if my husband is okay. Being here, gives me firsthand knowledge of exactly who and what my husband is doing during the deployment. We are fortunate enough to have our very own private “suite” which is fully furnished with mini-fridge, microwave, and a couple of twin mattresses pushed together. We recently upgraded our CHU (Consolidated Housing Unit) with wall-to-wall carpeting when we purchased a doormat. Our single window provides a lovely view of the solid concrete wall. Unfortunately, our CHU walls, which are supposed to protect us from incoming mortars, are a little thin and the neighboring CHUs are too close. This has resulted in the giving of nicknames to fellow CHU members in the area. One male Soldier’s nickname is “The Gamer,” because he plays his XBOX all throughout the night, which can be heard three and four CHUs away; and I have the nickname of “The Loud One.” The community is close and we have a good mixture of people in the area, everything from single Soldiers to pedophiles. My husband and I get to work “together” which is great, except we work opposite shifts. When he is sleeping, I am at work. When I am sleeping, I get woken up at three in the morning to him practicing Spanish, trying to properly say “Bon Jour” for Rosetta Stone (I haven’t told him he isn’t learning Spanish). Despite all of the little inconveniences of this deployment, I consider it an honor to defend my Country with my spouse at my side, and I would gladly give his life in its defense.