Every military spouse knows when your service member deploys, the weirdest, most inconvenient things happen suddenly. Events that would normally not ever occur become a part of your day almost immediately. For instance, when my husband deployed to Afghanistan I fell down the stairs and broke my toe. My 3-year-old was horrified. On another day my 10-month-old had a horrible case of diarrhea and the unfortunate side effects that come with it. Things broke around the house. It was enough to make your head spin. Fortunately, I didn't have to look like an ugly scene from The Exorcist. I just called in reinforcements in the form of other military spouses, neighbors and friends who lovingly became what I now call my "Support Bra".
The Support Bra concept resonates with every woman. We know, without question, what a good bra does. It provides much needed support, comfort and confidence. The best ones can cost you a pretty penny, but in the long run they last forever through several washings and sometimes maltreatment. The good bras always support in the best ways. And if you're really lucky to find a great bra, you'll find that it is always part of your daily attire.
In September 2009, after my husband was gone, I needed a support system. As I sat in my living room, about to get depressed over deployment woes I began to think of other spouses and moms who may be dealing with the same emotions and situations I had. So I created a network, a community, a "support bra" for those of us who needed extra propping up when things got a little difficult. I didn't realize how much alike we all are until I started getting the e-mails and stories of spouses who get and stay connected to our community, almost as if a lifeline to other women who "get" them.
For one mom of a service member who just sent her daughter off to boot camp, we are the network that unites her with other moms who have done it and helps walk her through the process. For the new spouse who never grew up around the military but found her true love and married a sailor, we're her resource for navigating her first move around the world and away from home. And for the woman who is frustrated with being a single parent because her soldier is always gone, we point her in the right direction for marriage help and parenting relief.
National Association of Military Moms and Spouses was born out of a personal need to connect with like-minded women who might have broken their toe during deployment. The "Support Bra" philosophy became the fabric that daily unites nearly 1300 moms and spouses across every military Service branch and status. In fact we like to say of NAMMAS that "we are the support bra of the military community. When life gets tough, we hold you up and together !"
Does your support bra fit? Get the best support from people who know what you're going through. Find out more about NAMMAS at www.nammas.org and get started building your support system today.