A sweet group of ladies—mostly wives of Marines who are patients at Balboa Park Naval Hospital, along with one Army soldier—met one Friday night at Tavern Bowl in San Diego, courtesy of Freedom Alliance.

The women enjoyed their bowling, but competition wasn’t the sole focus of the evening, although there was some of that—all good-natured, of course.

Several of the wives are facing uncertain futures as their husbands’ “med-boards” are forthcoming. Med-boarding is a process in which a service member is medically discharged from the military. For some, depending on the disability rating the doctors give, this is a scary change, not knowing how income will pan out, what medical bills will be covered, and other such unknowns.

These women—many of them mothers—are undeniably tough, but sometimes the stress and uncertainty of their situations get to them. They naturally worry about their soldiers, who are ill or disabled—whether from combat or cancer or other causes.

It’s intense and it’s real and it can be very distressing.

That’s why we at Freedom Alliance feel it is important for the family members to come together to support one another. Even a night of fun at a crowded bowling alley can turn into psychotherapy, as these women discern each other’s moods and pressures, and come to stand by a fellow military wife, who is going through a difficult time.

It’s not about strikes and gutter balls at all, but rather about being there. And, in the same way, we at Freedom Alliance want to do all we can to be there for our military families.

You all mean a lot to us, with your quiet strength and resiliency. Thank you for “being there” for our soldiers.

Balboa Bowling 3

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