iI'm not keen on the lyrics of the song but I do understand that the words one writes when under the pressure caused by deployment can seem mawkish to those who have not experienced it. I'm sure my letters to my husband would not stand up to piblic scrutiny but that does not mean that they are not genuine, heartfelt sentiments.
I do agree with the causes supported by the single - worthy causes, both of them. I did cry when I saw the video but more because the images were close to home as my husband deployed to Helmand last week. I think the idea of a choir as a support mechanism for those left behind is a brilliant one and any cynicism attached to PR spin of the series/single does not negate the good that was no doubt done for those who took part.
I knew what I was getting into when I married my husband - he was about to start at RMAS when we got engaged. He has never wanted to be anything other than a soldier and honestly believes that it is an honourable and worthy job. He believes in thevalues he learnt before he got his commission - integrity, service, duty, sacrfice and courage (both moral and physical) - and he really feels that the Forces provide a valuable public service. He also enjoys the physicality and challenge that comes with the job; the sense of testing and stretching yourself in demanding conditions. Saying that, I can understand the ambiguity attached to the Forces. We live in a society where we are encouraged - rightly - to question the decisions made by our government so it is understandable that we may feel uneasy about the role the Forces play in public life.
There are other jobs that require dedication and sacrifice - the police or fire service, for example - but not quite to the level demanded of sailors, soldiers and airmen. I think we can support the soldiers and their families while still demanding of their political masters that they be used appropriately and justly - the two concepts are not mutually exclusive.
I am proud to call myself an Army wife/family because it's a shorthand way of summing up what shapes and defines my marriage and family life. I am a feminist and I do see that there are "old-fashioned" connotations to that description. However, I cannot think of another profession that demands almost as much of spouses and children as it does of those who wear the uniform. Perhaps the nearest "vocation" would be the clergy.
I can't remember who said "They also serve who stay at home and wait." but that (paraphrased) quotation is as good a reason as any for describing myself as an Army wife.