Military & VeteransArmy veterans Brian and Natalie Vines were sometimes deployed apart, up to three years at one point. Skype, social media, and in particular, hand-written letters that could be read and reread, especially on tough days, helped their love endure and burgeon. Shortly after Brian and Natalie Vines met in the military in 1998, their unit deployed to Kuwait. Fueled by assignments on nearby bases, common interests, and shared military experiences, their friendship grew into a romantic relationship that eventually led them to the alter.
Brian and Natalie loved their careers in the U.S. Army — Brian served for 28 years and Natalie for 21. After several sustaining several TBIs and living with PTSD, Natalie retired from the Army. And in 2012, Brian, who lives with PTSD as well, decided to retire to take care of his wife. Since then, both Brian and Natalie also found significant growth and healing through their participation in the WWP Independence Program. Brian volunteers as a peer mentor helping his fellow veterans on WWP Project Odyssey® events.
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Dual military is difficult, at best, because of the needs of the army. There was a period of time that we spent probably close to three years apart just because of assignments and schools. And we had to take a couple of tours in Korea just so that we could be together. But it worked out well. Our love definitely endured and persevered and we made the best of it. We used technology such as Skype to communicate back and forth with each other. But probably the thing that sticks out most in my mind is the handwritten letters. It gave me something that I could read and re-read, particularly when I was having a difficult day. And I think Natalie would say the same thing. In fact, during one of my deployments to Iraq, I wrote her every single day, letters of encouragement and our love and just being excited to get back home to her as soon as I could.
You know, being able to Facebook back or to have that communication, to call back every now and then. And even the letters to re-read when you’re having a bad day or you’re out on deployment and you’re just having those rough days. That was the world to me when I was deployed or we were separated. And so sometimes we couldn’t reach out to each other at times and those letters meant the world to us.
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About the author: Brian and Natalie Vines
Shortly after Brian and Natalie Vines met in the military in 1998, their unit deployed to Kuwait. Fueled by assignments on nearby bases, common interests, and shared military experiences, their friendship grew into a romantic relationship that eventually led them to the alter. Brian and Natalie loved their careers in the U.S. Army — Brian served for 28 years and Natalie for 21. After several sustaining several TBIs and living with PTSD, Natalie retired from the Army. And in 2012, Brian, who lives with PTSD as well, decided to retire to take care of his wife. Since then, both Brian and Natalie also found significant growth and healing through their participation in the Wounded Warrior Project® Independence Program. Brian volunteers as a peer mentor helping his fellow veterans on WWP Project Odyssey® events.
