Today's Officer - Winter 2007 - (Page 17) DOUBLE DUTY sure there was an open position in his or her field. “You had to hope that no one else wanted that spot,” she recalls. Despite this lack of support for dual-military couples, however, the couple still managed to stay together for the majority of their time in the service. The biggest separation came in 1990, when Karen was assigned to Sheppard as a wing commander. At the time, Bill was stationed at the Pentagon and had to remain in Washington, D.C., with their two young Of their experience in the military, both say they would do it again but recommend a few things to keep in mind for couples just starting out. “You have to really like the service,” says Bill. “If one person hates it or your spouse hates it, it’s never going to work. I’ve seen the Air Force lose a lot of good people, because their spouses don’t like the lifestyle.” Karen agrees, adding that she thinks the couple’s communication and flexibility are the keys to success. boys, Samuel and David, ages 5 and 6, respectively. Though the couple’s separation would be difficult, the explanation to the boys, she recalls, was tougher. “We didn’t know how long I would be gone, and really, how do you explain ambition to a 5- and 6-year-old?” Karen recalls. Luckily, the Rankins consulted a child psychiatrist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., who gave them good advice. “He told us to simply tell [the boys] what was happening, make it quick, and then shut up and let them ask questions,” she recalls. “He said they would ask what they needed to know. And sure enough, they did.” Despite their preparations, however, actually leaving still was very difficult. Karen vividly remembers the day she left. “I can remember driving away from our home, and I made it to the corner before I had to pull over because I couldn’t see anything” through her tears, she says. The total length of the couple’s separation was two and a half years. When Karen returned in 1992, Bill separated from the service. Karen continued, was promoted to brigadier general, and ultimately retired in 1998. Today, they live in San Antonio and both work as consultants. “Talk about what you want to do individually and as a family,” she recommends. “Once understood, know that you will have to be flexible and make sacrifices.” GEORGE AND DONNA Capt. Donna Smawley, USA, and Lt. Col. George Smawley, USA, have it all — a successful marriage of eight years, solid careers, and a beautiful 16-month-old daughter named Emma. Juggling it all is not an easy task for two ambitious career officers. George serves as a JAG officer, and Donna is an Army nurse. The two met in January 1994 at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, where Donna, who was prior-enlisted for seven years, was working as a dental hygienist. George, who was at his first duty assignment as a judge advocate, came into the base dental office to get his teeth cleaned. “I was attracted to George for his down-to-earth nature and sense of humor,” recalls Donna. “He was an Army lawyer who had traveled and studied all over the world and seemed knowledgeable about so many things. He believed in me and my goals of finishing college and becoming an Army nurse. Plus, he had nice teeth.” Winter 2007/08 TODAY’S OFFICER 17
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