At the age of 18 I Joined the Army.

It was the time when I was madly in love with my boyfriend and just completed my high school. It was the hardest and most difficult one year time to be there in the Army apart from him.

I got married with him just after one year of Army life and again it was a long 5 years break that I could never meet him due to stint in the Army.

During these 5 years of time we spent thousands of dollars in phone calls, and truckload of letters with the view to be together but it never ended up getting any result.

I still find myself madly in love with him and I guess there goes some credit to the Army for that, because the distance made me realize how much I really love him.

When I joined the Army, I was not sure what I really wanted. However throughout these five years I had some good and worst memories that I had to go through. The worst things were depression, insecurities, doubt and anger. Whereas the good things were same jokes being repeated, happiness, appreciation and some of best phone sex I've ever had.

I learned to be smarter, stronger and being practical throughout this Army life. I learned to be sure about myself and learned to be sure about what I wanted.

In the Army there are thousands of people from thousands of culture and variety of personal values. There is certainly an influence on every individual by these multicultural peoples' thought, views and activities.

I found myself with a strong respect and value for the marriage whereas a lot of people there in the Army had no value for that at all. Lies and betrayal are everywhere. I came to realize the fact that relationships in the Army did not last for most of them was due to that.

I understand that people may feel alone even when they are surrounded by hundreds of mates but that should not lead someone to cheating with the partner.

I asked my husband once, why so many people in the Army could not survive their relationship, whereas we could have been among them but we survived?

He replied a quote to me; "If you are truly in love, being honest is not difficult."

I really love my husband madly and he loves me for what I am.

With the Army, I learned really true love. I really had to fight for the love of my life. However I am a strong person now.