My Favorite Quote

"What is obvious is not always known, and what is known is not always present."

~ By Scholar Samuel Johnson (1755)

~Cited by Military Historian Edward Samuel Farrow (1885)

Edward Samuel Farrow, a 19th–20th-century military historian, emphasized that even in structured and disciplined fields like military history, what seems self-evident is not consistently recognized or remembered when it matters most.

In warfare, forgetting crucial lessons or maneuvering at the wrong time can have serious consequences. Similarly, historical accounts often overlook or omit figures and events. Women played essential roles as camp followers, nurses, profiteers, and “just” spouses. Yet, they remain largely absent from many military historical works and historiographies. Were they perhaps so familiar, so obvious, that they became invisible?

Knowledge is not always easily accessible, even to experts. Farrow highlights the importance of preserving overlooked voices, key figures, and events, offering a more comprehensive understanding of traditional military history. However, even Farrow overlooks one crucial group– the women who enlisted and supported the soldiers—not only those on the battlefield but also those who stood by them on the front lines and the home front.

About Homefront Archives: Behind the Uniform
Military Spouse History Throughout American Military History (18th - 21st Century)

For 26 years, I lived the military life—first as a service member, then as a military spouse. Throughout that time, I was repeatedly told that spouses were vital to the mission, the base, and military life itself. However, after my husband’s retirement in 2021, I visited a military museum and realized something was missing: Where were the stories of women veterans? Where were the stories of spouses? Where was the section dedicated to the struggles of military spouses—the "untapped volunteers" of military history?

Military spouses have played a significant role in shaping both traditional and new military history. Yet, their contributions often go unnoticed—relegated to footnotes, endnotes, or occasionally scribbled in the margins of military history books. They are absent from museum exhibits and rarely acknowledged in the broader military tradition and heritage narrative. This blog was born from a simple yet urgent question– If military spouses are so vital, why aren’t their stories being told?

Homefront Archives: Behind the Uniform is dedicated to uncovering and preserving the unknown histories of military spouses—from the steadfast wives of the Revolutionary War to the resilient partners of today’s service members. It highlights their voices through historical research, personal narratives, and analysis, showcasing their impact on the military, family life, and American and military society.

Join me in reshaping military history to tell the full story—one that honors those who stood behind the uniform, sometimes in uniform, and forged their forgotten legacies on both the battlefield and the home front.

Photo Gallery

In addition to my passion for history, research, and writing, I am also an amateur photographer. Through this gallery, I hope to share moments captured during our military life—images that reflect the people, places, and memories that have shaped my journey. Every military spouse's journey is unique, and that individuality is what makes our stories so rare.