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The Duty Station Recall Button

December 17, 2008, in Military Life by

The other day, I was talking with a civilian about some event or the other, and I paused to recall how long ago it had happened. Then, I said, "Oh yes, that's when we were stationed in Georgia, so it was ten years ago." I told the lady I was speaking to, "That's how I can remember dates and
when something happened, by recalling where we were stationed at the
time."

I don't have children, so I don't say things like, "Suzie was
six then, so it was in 1992." For me, my measuring stick is duty
stations. I've done this over and over again – related time and events according to duty station. In fact, just the other day, when I was trying to figure out how old our washing machine is, I said, "We bought it when we were at Ft. Hood, so it's 15 years old, give or take a year or two (yes, I'm without all the snazzy new technology, but it keeps on ticking).

I've heard people say that they remember where they were when big events happened, like when Presidents Kennedy and Reagan were shot. "At home and they broke in with a special news bulletin." Or, "At work. Vince came running down the hall to tell us and we turned the radio on." It's funny, because I was at work when the tragic events of 9/11 unfolded. More often than not, I tend to say, "We were stationed in Washington at the time and I was at work." I noticed others do the exact same thing.

Staples has the "Easy Button." I have the "Duty Station Recall Button." Works for me….

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About Andi

Andi is married to an active-duty soldier and is the founder and former editor of SpouseBUZZ.

She is the founder of the Annual MilBlog Conference. The MilBlog Conference is the premiere event of the year for military bloggers. President George W. Bush, U.S. Representative Adam Smith, GEN David Petraeus, LTG Mike Oates, LTG William Caldwell, RADM Mark Fox, MG Kevin Bergner, MG David Hogg and The Honorable Pete Geren have addressed previous conferences.

While living in Washington, DC, Andi was the Ambassador to Walter Reed Army Medical Center for Sew Much Comfort, a non-profit organization which makes and delivers, free of charge, special adaptive clothing for wounded service members. Andi has worked with several non-profits to help our wounded heroes and their families. She finds that work to be the most rewarding and meaningful of all.

Andi strives to find humor in the good, bad and ugly of life and is a firm believer that laughter has the ability to cure most ills.

Comments

  1. airforcewife says:
    December 17, 2008 at 9:35 am

    OOOh, I do this too! Even my kids do this!
    Got my washer in San Angelo (ten years ago! God Bless AAFES!). My dryer in San Antonio. I started teaching in New Hampshire. Started blogging in the East Bay of CA.
    And who can forget everything that happened in Jersey…

  2. Marine Wife says:
    December 17, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    Are you kidding? I even track our family milestones based on where we were living, such as where the kids were born. Mainly, though, it's a good way to remember where major purchases were made: vehicles, the washer and dryer, etc.
    It's also another reason that I try to buy a Christmas ornament every year that has some relevance to where we're living. (Otters when we lived in Monterey. A hula girl when we PCS'd in Dec. and stopped over in Hawaii).

  3. Suzi says:
    December 17, 2008 at 4:01 pm

    I do this too and I'm not military. I will tell you that it is hard when you quit moving, though. We stopped moving eight years ago and now I can only say, "Well, it happened sometime in the last eight years."

  4. Ann - AF spouse says:
    December 17, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    Is there any other way?
    My daughter had to make a milestones in her life timeline for school. First Dance Class in FL, started Girl Scouts and swimming in GA, Chorus in Germany…etc..7 moves in 15 years, It's how she tells time too.

  5. liberal army wife says:
    December 18, 2008 at 12:15 am

    I've done this literally all my life. and as Ann AFSpouse asked, is there really any other way?
    LAW

  6. Sarah says:
    December 18, 2008 at 4:10 am

    I do this too, and since we've had five duty stations in seven years, I can pinpoint stuff pretty accurately. I can can remember it happened at Fort Knox, that's only a five-month window!

  7. Kerri says:
    December 18, 2008 at 6:56 am

    I can so remember the duty station trivia! My daughter was born the day before the Space Shuttle exploded…she was born at the base hospital. I turned 30 the day we had a shooting at the same hospital…awful, awful day! After being an AF wife for 24+ years, I have lots of this trivia and dates stuck in my head! And good memories, too~

  8. Jennifer says:
    January 21, 2009 at 5:25 am

    It must just be the easiest way. I had to stop and think about it for a minute, but yes, you guessed it, I do it also. Each move and location becomes such a part of you that it would be difficult to remember it any other way!

  9. Keri says:
    January 21, 2009 at 6:50 am

    I took my son to the doctor and they asked me when he first was diagnosed with migraines. I said, "Well we lived in Hawaii at the time…" The doctor said, "I don't care where you lived." and I told him, "That's how I remember how old he was by where we were stationed." After moving 11 times in 16 years it's the only way I know how to remember!

  10. Kimmy says:
    January 21, 2009 at 7:05 am

    Me too! I became a military brat in my mid-teen years, and from then on I was hooked! Now I associate everything with events, or where we lived, or where I was at, etc. Peoples lives are so full of details, I don't see how you can remember the important details any other way! God Bless to all!