Mothers Day: Honoring the Role of Military Mothers
For many years, we have seen that soldiers no longer belong to a specific gender and that women can play the role of wives, mothers and military officers at the same time.
That is the case of Sergeant Patricia Maldonado-Garcia, an exemplary mother who has managed to have the dual role of a mother and a soldier. She recognizes that it has been a little difficult; however, it has been possible thanks to the great support provided by her husband Carlos Maldonado, who also serves in the military.
Sargent Maldonado-Garcia is a Health Specialist, whose responsibility is to take care of the health and well-being of the soldiers in her platoon, both in training and in war zones.
She is also the mother of a six-year-old daughter, and she is now five-months pregnant expecting twins, a girl and a boy. When she is in the house, her day-to-day routine is like every mother’s, taking care of the house and raising her child. And while playing that role, she tries to promote the principles of discipline, responsibility and family closeness to her little one, the same principles that she applies daily in her relationship with her peers.
“As a mom, my daily priorities are the development and education of my child. As a family, we make sure that our family is stronger and that we love to have the opportunity to be together and to grow as a family,” said Maldonado-Garcia.
However, she acknowledged that the most difficult part is being away from her daughter and her husband. “Unable to see my daughter for long periods of time, I am prevented from being there for her and watching her as she achieves different milestones. As demanding as the training is for the whole year, we have difficulty scheduling family events and sometimes we miss important celebration dates such as anniversaries, birthdays, holidays or school activities,” she added.
When asked if there is any reproach by her daughter for her periods of absence, she replied that for the moment that has not happened. “We try to foster the value of our work for the country, and she feels proud of the parents and expresses that someday she wants to be like us. Meanwhile, when we are away, our daughter enjoys spending time with her grandparents, time that feels as if she were on vacation.”
For this young woman of 29 years, military service had always attracted her attention; however, it was not until her husband was sent to Afghanistan that she decided to enlist to provide medical assistance in the war zone.
“I wanted to take the role of being a soldier to help and give to wives, mothers and children some peace of mind knowing that someone is there to take care of their own.”
Although this military mother has had some difficult times handling both roles, she is doing it one day at a time, always proud of what she has chosen to do and would not change what she has or who she is.
Haz clic para leer en Español: Día de la Madres: Honrando el rol de las Madres Militares
