The grass really is greener at Vance

  • Published
  • By Sarina Houston
  • 3rd Flying Training Squadron key spouse
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Sometimes when I tell people that Vance Air Force Base was our first choice for an assignment, I get a funny look, along with "you're kidding...right?"

I understand the reaction. My husband completed pilot training at Laughlin AFB in Texas, and had we been assigned to Laughlin after pilot training, I may have been less than excited. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when we learned that our first assignment would be to England!

I quickly learned, though, that England isn't as perfect as I'd envisioned.

I loved England, don't get me wrong, but there were also disadvantages. My husband was away a lot. I couldn't find a job for the first year. It was cold and foggy and the 30-minute drive to base was downright scary sometimes. I missed the sunshine and friends we left behind in Texas.

Whether it's Japan or Tampa, Germany or Colorado Springs, there will be things you love and things you hate about each assignment.

As Air Force families, we have to get over the "grass is greener" mentality and try to live in the present.

Admittedly, Enid drives me crazy when it comes to shopping. And I miss my favorite Thai restaurant in England. And the grass was, quite literally, greener in England.

But the grass is green here, too, albeit in a less literal sense. I love the small-town charm and the friendliness of people in Enid. I love that my husband gets to come home every night and we're closer to family than before.

When you find yourself counting the days until your next assignment, ask yourself what it is, specifically, that you are looking forward to at your next assignment. The reality of the next assignment will likely be different than the perception. You might even miss Enid a little when you go. You may even find that you want to come back someday.

Your current or future assignment may not be your dream location, but remember the old cliché: The grass is greener where you water it.

(Sarina is the Key Spouse for the 3rd Flying Training Squadron and is married to Capt. Jacob Houston in the 3rd FTS at Vance AFB.)