A Modern Woman’s (Non-FRG) Guide to Life+Love // Reserves

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Kayli from Kayli Wanders shares her experience on dating a Marine in the Reserves
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If you already read my blog, you probably know that my long-term boyfriend, G is in the Marine Reserves. I don’t talk about it often, but I do mention it here and there. We’re currently sophomores in college and have been dating since our freshman year of high school—I know, we’re those people! During our senior year, we started to talk about what we wanted next for our relationship. We knew we didn’t want to break-up, but we each had our own dreams and lives to live, we were determined to make them mesh. And so we did! I know, I know. ‘But it isn’t that easy’. And to be honest, we got lucky. Things worked out and life is a rollercoaster and we’re just along for the crazy ride.

I decided to attend Arizona State University and G decided that he would join the Marine Reserves following our graduation. He talked about going active, but I made it clear that wasn’t what I wanted, and he decided that in the long run, he would rather be going to school back in Arizona as well.

He signed up a couple of months after that talk and was off to boot camp in July. And it was hard. We had to communicate through letters for three months (besides the two one-minute phone calls that he won, which to be honest, just made everything harder). We went from seeing each other everyday to only being able to put pen to paper—and that’s enough to just about kill you. After he graduated boot camp (which was the best day ever) he was able to come home for a 10-day leave before returning to complete more training, MCT at Camp Pendleton and his MOS school in Virginia. And then, it got even harder.

To be honest, I missed the letters when he was able to call. At least in the letters the point we were trying to get across was out and sealed in an envelope. He could barely call me during his schooling and when he could it was always brief and stressful. Mostly, because he was stressed (with his piles of work) and I was stressed (with the situation). He came home at the end of January and now goes one weekend a month for his training at a local military base and two weeks a year wherever they send him for more formal training.

The point is, it isn’t easy—it’s so hard. But after it’s all said and done, it’s the best thing that could have happened to us. He gets his schooling paid for (he’s currently working on getting his business degree), he gets to do what he loves with the Marines (his Marine buddies have become his brothers, which he loves) and to be 100% honest, having the extra money each month is a nice incentive for him—it allows him to buy those extra school books, the gas he needs, etc. Our relationship has also improved because we don’t take for granted the time we get to spend together anymore because we know what it’s like when the other isn’t around.