5 Ways to Stay Connected When You Are No Longer Connected to a Base

Being a geo-bachelor spouse means you disconnect from a base.  Your spouse no longer is attached to your closest base.  You haven't quite made it to their attached base, so you haven't had a chance to meet the new spouses.

The same thing happened to me when my husband was stationed in Korea for a year and I chose to move back home to pursue a degree.  I disconnected from my previous base, but I hadn't moved to our follow-on either.

So how do you stay connected to the military world when you are no longer connected to a base?

1.  Facebook Groups

I've kept many friends and made others just by being connected by Facebook groups. Everything from base classifieds, to Spouse groups have allowed me to stay part of the old base and get to know the new base. By staying connected with the old base, I can provide a bit of wisdom I've learned about the area to new spouses.  By connecting to the new base, I can keep up to date on the services and offerings it has.  When I visit, I also know what the happenings are on base, so if I want to go to a special event, I know all about them!

2. Blogs

You don't have to write your own blog, but there are so many great spouses out there who provide good resources.  Read them, enjoy them, and engage with the blog owners!  A lot of advice for deployment holds true for geo-bach spouses.  The only difference is I feel we have less distance that separates us and more technology to connect us.  Otherwise, we're in the same boat (single parenting, independence, etc)

3. Base Activities

Its still OK to participate in base activities, if you are still stationed by one.  You are not exiled from them, they are not just for base personnel only.  So if you see a family festival, Easter Egg Hunt, or Holiday Party for the kids, sign up and participate!  You and your family will continue having a connection to your outgoing base.

4. Military One Source

This website contains a lot of information about base programs.  On the homepage alone, you can search your base (or your incoming base) for programs and resources.  You may have been stationed at your out-going base for several years, but there may be programs you are not aware of.  For instance, on our base (Buckley AFB), the outdoor recreation building has fantastic rentals, including campers, that enhance our four-seasons experience here.  When I visited my husband's new base (Vandenberg AFB), I found they had a lot more programming available:  a bowling alley, archery range, and a pool.  Each base has different resources, and they are still available to you.

5. Friends

This is the obvious one, but many people disconnect, myself included.  I go about my daily life and forget that I have a connection to the military through friendships.  Just because your husband is no longer in your friend's squadron does not mean you can no longer be friends.  Go out for coffee, have a playdate, or get pedicures together.  You are friends, no matter where each of you is stationed.



Being a disconnected from a base is tough.  You start to lose that sense of community that makes being a military spouse wonderful.  But if you find yourself in a situation where you lack a base identity, make one for yourself!  You are still a valuable member of the military community, regardless of where you live.