Brit Army Bird is actually Sarah Fraser. She is 38, has four children, three step children and currently lives in Monmouth in Wales.
She isn’t married to her soldier (shock!), who is currently still married to someone else (yes – she will tell you all about it in her posts, probably fuelled by red wine).
She is happy to be asked anything about life with a soldier. Go on, ask away…
Brit Army Bird
British Army Bird Blog 
Hi Sarah, just stumbled upon this over google and I’m glad I did as I’m currently needing either advice or even reassurance. My boyfriend has just gone off to the army and it’s his 4th week in training now, he got badly homesick and didn’t think it was for him. I comforted him and told him we were all proud no matter what he decided to do and told him he was strong and was enthusiastic about him keeping his head up, but really I’d love to just say to him please come home. Then he had an injury in his knee and the physiotherapist told him if he was better by that weekend there then he would be back trooped. He told me and his family that if they back troop him he’s leaving, and me being a selfish woman I hoped he would be. I can’t stand not having him here and knowing this is going to go on for four more years is killing me. I’m hearing stories of how some British soldiers would go nuts at weekends and cheat and lie to their girls and wives and it scares me. Then the thought of him being sent to Iraq or Afghan haunts me and makes me feel sick to know he’s always going to be in danger. I don’t know how to deal with these emotions. I don’t even know why I’m writing to you or if this is straight to you or what but I just need to hear the truth from someone of what to expect. I love this guy so much, he’s my bestfriend. I don’t want to lose him to other girls at the weekend and most of all I don’t want him to lose his life.
Hey, hey, hey… Of course he is homesick and missing you and all his familiar stuff. And they beast the poor sods on purpose to see who can stand the course.
Tell him from me and everyone else with a bit of perspective that being backtrooped because of an injury is NOTHING in the scheme of things. In his army career he will face way more upsetting, embarrassing, frustrating, unfair and annoying stuff. He’ll also have the time of his life, travel all over, have bromances to end all bromances, get in trouble, get out of trouble, make a brilliant impression and completely fuck up. That is life and in the army life is concentrated, like orange squash.
And yup… blokes do what blokes do. That isn’t an army thing, it’s a life thing. If he’s going to cheat, he will cheat. If he’s a good man and has his values and standards straight, you will be the luckiest lady you know. Your bloke will be fit, buff and bloody gorgeous every time he dresses to go to work. You’ll be proud of him in so many more ways than you ever could be if he was a plumber (no offence to plumbers obviously). If he’s a dirty rotten cheat then you’ll be better off without him.
Also, he’s not likely to be going to war any time soon – we haven’t got the military capacity at the moment. Right now he’s more likely to get blown up at home by a terrorist for no other reason than that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or he could get run over by a bus. Or die of blood poisoning.
So: he’s not going to cheat just because he’s a soldier.
He’s only got a very, VERY, little tiny bit more chance of dying than any ordinary bloke.
He needs to get his knee better and not give in or let people get him down.
He needs to realise how blinking lucky he is to have a bird like you and YOU need to start thinking of the perks (uniform, biceps, wages, friends, boozing, loads of sex after he’s been away training. Did I mention the uniform?) rather than what MIGHT go wrong (nothing – it will be fine).
Chin up and be brave. You’re not selfish – you are having a wobble. Get used to it. Army birds wobble more than jelly on a plate.
Keep talking and asking and living and loving.
Remember you are not on your own – we all go through this stuff.
Sx
Sarah