I’m sure you’ve seen or heard all about the greatly anticipated, movie of the year 'Military Wives' which is out on March 6th and looks at how the Military Wives Choir came into existence...
It focuses on a group of military spouses who’s husbands are away serving in Afghanistan. So to take their minds off the absence, they came together and started to sing. They were able to help each other through the tough times by forming a bond that became unbreakable!
Since the very first one formed, Military Wives Choirs have been popping up all over the world with the latest addition being in the Falkland Islands.
I’ve been lucky enough to work with so many of these choirs now and it really has been a privilege. I’ve interviewed them, recorded them and now even filmed them for the movie (that part is hush hush though until the release.)
I’ve not only worked with these lovely ladies but I’ve become very good friends with many of them as well!
Now there is a massive audience for this movie with the world watching in, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight that there are also lots of military husbands out there as well.
If you’re within the military environment reading this blog I’m sure you’re thinking ‘ Yes Chris we know, you bang on enough about it.’
If you’re not within the military environment though, you might not be that clued up. I’m only going on experience here where most people assume that it’s me serving in the military and not my wife.
I also thought that with 'International Women's Day’ in a few days (a day where women in the British Forces are celebrated) it would be good to remind people that we (military husbands) exist.
The military wives choir was created many years ago to help military wives deal with the absence of their husbands but don’t forget that there were also many Military Husbands who's wives were serving in Afghanistan also looking for ways to cope.
A lot of people (my mom included) have said to me... “Well why don’t you start a Military Husbands Choir?”
It’s a good question tbf but the simple answer would be that there aren’t usually enough of us in one place to get going (plus we’d probably sound pretty terrible). It also defeats the point of my blog, it’s not about wives Vs husbands, it’s about bringing us all together and acknowledging the fact that we’re all in the same boat, dealing with the same issues.
I do therefore think a Military Spouses Choir would be the way forward, this way men and women can sing together an take the world by storm.
Better still, how about a Military Families Choir to capture a slightly wider audience which would include the parents, siblings and children of serving military personnel.
Please don’t see this blog as a dig at the MWC, I’m incredibly proud of all military spouses, the way they can deal with anything that is thrown at them and the way they come together at a time of need.
I’m just keen to drive the inclusive nature of the term military spouse, rather than separating us into two groups of husbands and wives.
I’m heading to watch Military Wives the movie on Saturday and I’m very excited to see the story on the big screen, I hope you are going to watch it too!
Oh and make sure you watch out for the Penguins!