“I was the first [nonmilitary] male spouse in that command ever,” Campbell said in a podcast posted on Military OneSource.
Seeking social connections, Campbell looked for a spouses' club at their new installation, but instead, found a wives' club.
“I didn't fit into that organization very well,” he said. “In a lot of instances, when you're talking about a spouses' organization, you're going to be the only male in the room.”
Campbell eventually found the social interaction he craved by reaching out to men within his wife's command. These connections are vital, he said, and can “help build that social organization that can be lacking for you as a male spouse.”
As a small segment of the overall military population, it can be difficult for service members' civilian husbands to figure out where they fit in, but building strong support networks can help to ward off feelings of isolation, said Scott Stanley, a research professor from the University of Denver and a military family expert. According to the 2010 Military Family Life Project, just 5 percent of active duty service members' civilian spouses are male.
Read more:
Male Military Spouses Cope With Added Challenges, Expert Says
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