Inauguration Day
Today is Inauguration Day, and we see a new administration take over. It is a happy day for some and a day of disappointment for others. For military spouses, though, this day can often be one of anxiety, even if they voted for the person saying the oath.
A new administration means new goals and priorities for the government. In a world of increasing tensions our service members are directly in the path of those decisions. But for spouses new to the military, new to the U.S., or have just spent most of their lives avoiding politics, let’s take it back to high school social studies to understand what a new administration means.
Article II Section 2 of the constitution reads, “The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”
Now, that is a whole bunch of legalese, but ultimately, it means that whoever is president is also the Commander in Chief of all branches of the military (even though the Army and Navy were the only ones that existed at the founding). The commander-in-chief is at the top of the food chain when it comes to military decisions. In a general sense, they can make the military do anything outside of declaring war because only Congress has that authority.
This power has been used extensively in the past, especially during wartime. Every decision the President made during World War One and Two, as well as in response to the 9/11 attacks, directly impacted our troops. It was service members who were rushed out the door to put boots on the ground. It was families who hurried through goodbyes, some of which never got to say hello again. At the end of nearly every decision is a service member who didn’t come home. That’s why days like today fill me with anxiety, and it’s also why the longer I am a military spouse, the more of a pacifist I become.
So, I hope you are taking care of yourself today. The “what if” questions can be incredibly overwhelming, and I encourage you to steer clear of them. Nothing happens until it happens, and that is especially true in the military. If the big picture is too hard to see, focus on the small one. Today, my small picture looks like training for work and coming home to dinner with my husband and son. My small picture is hope for the future, excitement of what’s to come, and full of love: all that is true, no matter who is in the Oval Office.
The song we sang at church yesterday perfectly encapsulates my dream for this country. I hope that happens soon and will do what I can to bring it to light. The commander-in-chief may have a massive amount of authority over our spouses, but we can bring that same power to our homes and communities through hope and love, no matter what decisions get passed down. Read the words of this song, and may we all see the mighty nation that we seek in the coming days:
“We seek a mighty nation where no one lives in fear,
Where strength is found in mercy and kindness is revered.
We seek a gentle nation where no one is alone,
And those in need of shelter are gladly welcomed home.
We seek a kindred nation where each is free to dream,
Diversity is valued, and unity is seen
Not in common dogma, but in shared belief
That in our free expressions our nation is complete.
We seek a caring nation that nourishes the weak,
Where all the sick and needy find comfort and relief:
Where wealth is found in giving, prestige through acts of love,
And those who are aggressors are taught to humbly serve.
We seek a shining nation, a beacon to the world
Of grateful, humble freedom, of justice feely served
We seek to leave a nation to children yet to be
Whose greatest attribution is centuries of peace.”