This is the season of Thanksgiving. It’s a time when we pause to gather, reflect, and give thanks for our “home.” But for military families, the concepts of “home” and “family” are unique.
“Home” is often a house we’ve only been in for 18 months. “Family” is frequently the “chosen family” we build at each new duty station—the neighbors, the co-workers, and the other military families who just get it.
As a real estate professional, I spend my days helping families find the right house. But I always say: you can’t just buy a house; you have to find your community. A good community is the true foundation of a happy life, especially in the military.
This Thanksgiving, let’s focus our gratitude on those incredible support systems—the communities we’re in now, and the ones that have shaped us along the way.
Giving Thanks in Your Current Community
The people around you right now are your first line of support. They are the ones who will watch your house when you go on leave, who will bring you a meal when you’re sick, and who won’t bat an eye when you’re still unpacking boxes three months after a PCS.
Here are a few ways to show your gratitude to your current community:
- Host an “Orphans’ Thanksgiving.” This is a beautiful military tradition. Open your home to single service members from the barracks or other families who couldn’t travel. Sharing a meal is the most powerful way to build a “chosen family.”
- Support Local and Veteran-Owned. Put your money where your gratitude is. Buy your Thanksgiving pie from a local bakery. Use a veteran-owned business for your home projects. As a real estate professional, I am proud to partner with veteran-owned lenders, inspectors, and contractors. Supporting them is supporting our entire community.
- Give a “Specific” Thank You. Don’t just wave. Stop and thank the neighbor who always brings in your trash cans. Write a card for your child’s teacher who has been so patient with their mid-year transition. Acknowledge the FRG leader who volunteers countless hours. Be specific, and it will mean the world.
Honoring Your Past Communities
One of the hardest parts of military life is leaving people behind. A PCS scatters our friends across the globe. But those bonds are for life. Honoring those past communities is just as important as nurturing your current one.
- Send the Text. Make the Call. We all have them: the friends from Fort Bragg, the neighbors from Norfolk, the first mentor from 20 years ago. This week, send a text: “Happy Thanksgiving! Thinking of our time at…” It takes 30 seconds and can make someone’s entire day.
- “Pay It Forward” with Mentorship. Were you grateful for the spouse who took you under their wing at your first duty station? Be that person for someone else now. Welcome the new family on your street. Offer to answer their questions about the schools or the best commute to the base. You are now the person you were once so thankful for.
- Leave a 5-Star Review. This is a powerful, lasting, and professional way to show gratitude. That real estate agent who helped you find the perfect rental in San Antonio? The lender who made your VA loan easy in Colorado? The coffee shop that was your lifeline? Go online and leave them a glowing review. It helps their business and, just as importantly, it helps the next military family who is searching for a trusted professional.
A Community Built on Gratitude
This Thanksgiving, my gratitude is for this community. I am thankful for the privilege of serving those who serve, helping you plant roots (even temporary ones), and watching you build “home” wherever the military sends you.
From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.
