SBD 3 Highlights James Harris for National Military Spouse Appreciation Month

  • Published
  • By SBD 3 Public Affairs
  • Space Base Delta 3

Q: How long have you been married?
A: Since 2008 (August 22 will be 15 years)

Q: How long has your spouse been in the service?
A: 20 years

Q: What is their rank and role in the service? 
A: She is a MSgt and works in the Medical Squadron as the TRICARE Flight Chief.  She wears several hats and she just picked up the acting SARC hat and is very active in Diversity & Inclusion efforts.

Q: Have you ever served in the military? If so, in what capacity?
A: Yes, I recently retired, Oct 2022 after 21 years in the in US Navy.

Q: Has your spouse ever been deployed and how did that affect your family if so?
A: Yes, my wife was gone for almost 7 months on a Humanitarian, leaving me to care for our four kids. Their ages at the time were: 15, 9, and our 8 month old twins. My wife is literally the backbone of our family and even if I tried, I could never care for our home and the kids the way she can. It was definitely a learning lesson and made each of us appreciate her that much more.                                                                                                                                                                              

Q: Has being married to a military member provided opportunities for you and your family? If so, can you describe them?
A: Absolutely. We truly appreciate the life we have been able to live, both serving active duty, various duty locations, the healthcare, community involvement and even networking. The kids love our military life.

Q: Describe a challenge associated with being a military spouse?
A: Any time away is difficult whether it’s a TDY, a deployment, training or possibly missing out on the kids special events because duty comes first. We definitely hate being so far from family (NC and Louisiana) but LA is a great place and they love to visit.

Q: What advice do you have for new military spouses? 
A: Enjoy it!  Everything has it downfalls but this is an experience like no other. You can make it one of the best. Find your circle and lean on all the resources offered when needed.