NIM & the Silent Ranks

One of the cool things we got to do while D's parents were here for his Officer Candidate School Graduation was go to the National Infantry Museum. If you ever have the opportunity to go I would highly recommend it. I am usually not one for museums- I have the patience level of a toddler when it comes to these things- but even I really thought this was interesting. Below are some pictures from the museum.

The museum has several interactive exhibits and different sections divided in time by major conflicts.


 It is a lot to take in and I feel like I need another go around to soak it all in. There are several more exhibits opening in the near future so we will have to revisit.




This museum is free though there is a fairly aggressive person at the front asking for a $5 donation so I would say it is $5 to get in but on the bright side you get a sticker that says you donated. Well worth the $5.

FYI for readers: You may have noticed a subtle shift in the blog- less talk about running more talk about life. This may or may not continue. Being back in the military as a military spouse is interesting and I want to share a bit about what life in the 'silent ranks' is like. What are the silent ranks? Military families. It is a different kind of life than many people lead and I am excited to be part of it again. D and I had a run for a few years while he was enlisted, a few years break and now we are back in so it is a learning experience to get used to it again. Many things have changed and some have stayed the same. And when I say we are back in it really is we. While I might not wear a uniform, if your spouse is in the military you are too. I hope you will continue to share the ride with me as I continue to plod along!

"The Silent Ranks"

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens
But I am in the Army in the ranks rarely seen
I have no rank upon my shoulders - salutes I do not give
But the military world is the place where I live
I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get
But my husband is the one who does, this I can not forget
I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line
But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind
My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man
And the call to serve his country not all can understand
Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free
My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me
I love the man I married, Soldiering is his life
But I stand among the silent ranks known as the Army Wife
 Author: Unknown

Comments

  1. Yo Momma RunsSeptember 13, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    I'm so glad some other educated lady is admitting that out loud about museums. I want to love them so badly, but sometimes love hurts...my eyes because they get so bored.

    And we used to live by a base in VA, and I absolutely agree that the whole family is in the service. Especially watching all the moms at home with kiddos while their dads were overseas. So much sacrifice!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BeanSeptember 15, 2013 at 5:37 AM

      Yeah museums- I am always like I should go and then I go and I can last about 45 minutes before wanting a snack and a nap. I don't know what is wrong with me.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog. I look forward to hearing from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Training Week 10/9/2017-10/15/2017....or lack of...

Image
....not to give the ending away but this week was a bit of a bust. Last weekend I felt under the weather and by Monday- bam- felt like death. And that freakin cold was a stage 5 clinger and really lingered. SO. MUCH. COUGHING. Monday: Nothing but naps, and couch time. Luckily this guy was around to keep me company. Tuesday: A light weight workout at home. Skipped my scheduled run due to lack of ability to breath without hacking up a lung. Wednesday: Tried to get back on the wagon. Did 2 miles on the treadmill with 8 30 seconds fast, 30 seconds recovery thrown in. Coughed so hard I almost puked. Got off treadmill and laid on floor. Did manage to lift weights during lunch. Bonus points for me. Thursday: After a night of coughing, reset my alarm and slept in until 7. Ran 3 miles outside in the evening with 3 minute run/ 1 minute walk. Felt good until the last mile and then that walk break began to creep up in time as the coughing and snot production increased. But it got don...
Read more

Wisconsin Marathon Race Review

Image
First things first- I loved the Wisconsin marathon. It was a great race and I had a ton of fun. I achieved my goal of finishing in under 5 hours and I guess have a new marathon PR by about 43 minutes.....even though this one is seven years after my first marathon. Most importantly there never came a time when I was running the marathon where I regretted my decision to run one. Miles toward the end got tough and uncomfortable but as one lady I ran with exclaimed "hey we are running a marathon today! This is awesome!" It was awesome and I am super excited for my next attempt at 26.2 miles. To the details! Packet Pick-up: packet pick-up was low key at the Best Western in Kenosha the day before the race. In and out in about five minutes with number, t-shirt, cheese samples and a bag full of flyers for other races. This race has two other packet pick-ups on different days near Chicago and one near Milwaukee. They make it easy to get your number. I love the design of the ra...
Read more

The forever taper

Image
The weird thing about running all of the marathons and half marathons in a month and a half's time is that it really throws off the normal schedule of working out. I haven't been lifting cause I don't want to hurt myself and because I need all the power my under trained body can muster to finish the next two marathons on the schedule. Getting burnt out on lifting seems not smart right now.  I also haven't been running very much unless it involves a finish line and a medal because I am worried about doing too much and my tendinitis coming back and frankly I have just been tired and sore from doing a marathon and then a half back to back. I did three miles this morning and it took forever and I was just not interested in running at all. Completing three miles took all of my willpower. Not doing anything physical has left me with some extra time on my hands which I have used to catch up on some reading. This book is dark but as I read on I liked it more and ...
Read more