Manhattan’s Army Wife by Chloe Karmarck

BSF Executive Assistant Chloe Karmarck has written an amazing piece featured on Vogue.com. Chloe writes about her journey from Park Avenue to military fiance and why military service is so important.

Manhattan’s Army Wife by Chloe Karmarck for
Vogue.com

One recent morning, as I rode the elevator up to my office, a colleague noticed the diamond ring on my finger and proceeded to excitedly ask all the standard wedding questions: When? Labor Day weekend. Where? Cape Cod. Who? An Army officer. Suddenly, it was as if a cartoon thought bubble popped into the air above her head that read, “#!?*” She shifted slightly on her four-inch heels, and someone in the back of the crowded elevator coughed.

I went on.  He’s stationed in Alabama, and will be in the army for at least six years.  But here’s the real kicker: After the wedding, I’m moving to Daleville, Alabama—population 4,653.  Not accustomed to finding herself at a loss for words, this very polite young woman (and wife of a hedge-fund manager) finally rattled off a series of less-cheery questions. “But, why?” was followed by “So he supports the war?” and then she got to her point: “Is he a Republican?”

Had I said that my fiancé was joining Teach for America, I suspect my friend would have admired his decision and assumed his politics didn’t need inspecting.  At a time when “service” is as chic a concept as Michelle Obama’s J. Crew sensibility, organizations like the above and the Peace Corps have skyrocketed in both applications and prestige. Apparently, however, serving in the military still suffers from the negative image it was burdened with 40 years ago during the Vietnam War.  Kathy Roth-Douquet, who met her husband—a Marine One pilot—while serving in the Clinton White House, wrote a book in 2006 with Frank Schaeffer called AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America’s Upper Classes from the Military and How It Hurts Our Country.  In it they noted that “not too long ago the sons of presidents, bankers, and oilmen regularly served. This was even true for members of powerful dynasties such as the Roosevelts, the Kennedys, the Sulzbergers (owners and publishers of the New York Times), and the Bushes. Now, however, not one grandchild from those powerful dynasties serves.”

After growing up on Park Avenue, I had always imagined…

Continue reading Manhattan’s Army Wife on Vogue.com.

Participate in a National Day of Service

Service Day at the DNC

President-elect Obama is encouraging our nation’s citizens to participate in National Service Day on Monday, January 19, and through the weekend of January 17th through January 19th. We are encouraging all BSF members to participate, whether it be at the Inauguration or in your own community.

President-Elect Obama’s message is actively changing what it means to be a citizen of this country. He has opened a dialogue to include people who haven’t previously felt included and expanding what is expected of us. As military families we already know what it means to serve. We know that volunteerism is what sustains this country. It is our responsibility to share that message with others. We need to get out in our communities and encourage others to do so as well.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN DIRECTLY BECOME INVOLVED:

The most comprehensive site where you can look up ways to get involved locally on National Service Day is being maintained here. Please check back frequently as new events are being planned every day. If you choose to participate in an already scheduled event, please be sure to wear your BSF gear and consider organizing other BSF members in your area to participate along with you.

Also, please think about organizing a Blue Star Families project in your own area with a military theme. Some ideas are: visiting a local VA hospital or group home, picking a local Legion or VFA hall and offering to help out, find local retired vets and offer to help with snow removal, lawn care, projects around the house, get together in some one’s home to write letters to deployed soldiers; get together and bake or cook and bring food to your local fire or police station. It doesn’t have to be something that involves a lot of materials and money – we know the time is short.

If you sign up to volunteer or organize an event please shoot Vivian (vgreen00@gmail.com) an email so we can keep track of our members’ participation. If you want to plan a local event or organize your local BSF members to do your own service project Vivian will help you add it to the master site. We will also spread the word among all our lists and contacts and connect you with other local BSF members. We will be happy to help you in any way we can and provide any resources, contacts, or information we have.

As military families we are in a special position to encourage others to donate their time, energy, money, and spirit to make this country a better place to live for ourselves and our future generations. While our military members are most noted for protecting our rights and freedoms…their service also demands from us the responsibility of making this country a land where freedom engenders a sense of duty to do what one can to strengthen our communities and truly live out the American Dream.