CAMP DARBY, Italy – For Raven Bailey and her family, getting to know people all over the world is a major benefit of military life.
“I’m hopeful that my kids will be able to learn something new from each place and from meeting people all over the world,” said Bailey, whose husband, Coty, is a noncommissioned officer with the 839th Transportation Battalion. “It helps them grow up to be kind humans.”
The Bailey family’s military journey began at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. Shortly thereafter, Coty Bailey was sent unaccompanied to Korea. When he returned, the couple spent a year together in Virginia before his battalion relocated to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State.
“So we packed up and drove across the country with our eight-month-old in February,” said Raven Bailey, detailing what turned out to be a harrowing trip. “There was snow and ice. Our headlights stopped working in Oregon.”
The family persevered for five days and made it safely to Washington.
A year later – with son Remington and a new daughter, Kodi – the Bailey’s moved to Italy.
“Luckily our visas came back just in time. We were flying out that Monday and they arrived the Saturday before,” she said. “I used to be a big planner. I learned very quickly that it’s better to be able to change plans at any moment and just go with the flow.”
Adventures like these provide something of a crash course in military life. Now, Bailey encourages new military families to cope with challenges by making social connections.
“Make sure to find that support system,” she said.
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