LAURIE KWOLEK
PROUD ARMY
SPOUSE
SOLDIER
MOTHER
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Laurie Kwolek is a fellow Army wife, as well as an Army soldier/nurse. She is such an amazing and inspiring woman to know. I met her during my eight month of pregnancy with my first child at a jewelry party. The topic of her teaching yoga at the Army hospital was brought up, and I got the details to attend. She was such a great and encouraging instructor. As it happened, when I called in to Labor and Delivery, she answered and was my nurse during delivery-I credit her as delivering my first born, and her bedside manner was outstanding! Read on about Laurie, a fun-loving woman of great strength, intelligence and love. ~Brandy
"Living Strong Is A State of Mind" - Moni
Strong Army Wife: Laurie Kwolek
by Brandy M. Woodley posted July 2010
How long have you been in the Army?
21years as of June!
An Army wife?
Yes for almost 13 years
What do you like most and least about being an Army wife?
What I most like about being an Army wife is that I have a husband who supports and understands the dynamics of my “missions;” being a mother/wife in the raising of our children and being a soldier. It helps that my husband is a soldier because he understands, first hand, the demands of being a soldier and the unique challenges that our families face every time we are apart. We understand, as do our children, that without a “team” approach to this lifestyle…we wouldn’t survive in it. You have to be in this as a team. You have to understand the demands and you must support each other. On that same note, what I like least about being an Army wife (dual-military family) is that there is a greater opportunity for us to be apart more often because we both have our roles to play in the organization and rarely do the stars align where we have coinciding military activities so that means a little more time apart, than if one of us was not in the military.
About being a soldier?
As an Army nurse…what I LOVE most is caring for our brave men and women who sacrifice their own personal freedoms to do what they believe is right to protect our country. It is a self-less act to be a soldier and I am so proud and honored to have the opportunity to play a role in returning sons, daughters, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers, etc…home, alive. There is no experience in the world like serving your country and being exposed to some of the most amazing and talented people like those who serve alongside me. What I like least about being a soldier is that eventually I might be too old to low crawl and too blind to stitch up a knee…apart from that…well…when I think of something I’ll let you know.
At what installations have you served?
Well, let’s see, it all started when I graduated High School in 1989. I became a reservist with the 92nd Field Hospital out of Baltimore, MD. I was part of the delayed entry program and didn’t actually leave for basic until the following year. So it all really started at Fort Dix, NJ Feb 14, 1990-yep, Valentines Day…who knew my sweetheart for the next 21 years would be Uncle Sam. After Basic, I completed 91A school (field medic) at Fort Sam Houston, TX (C232), AMEDD Center and School, following immediately after with phase I 91C (LPN) school at Fort Sam, then phase II at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado in fall of 1991. After graduating 91C school, I returned to my reserve unit in MD.
In 1993, I came on active duty with my first assignment being (Old) Brooke Army Medical Center, Coronary Care Unit, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. From January 1996-May 1999, I was stationed at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (S.H.A.P.E.) International Health Clinic in Mons, Belgium, where I met my husband (then SPC, now 2LT) Thomas Kwolek. From June 1999-Sept 1999, I worked at Fort Lee HQ Co in Virginia then from Oct 1999-June 2000, I was stationed with the 28th CSH/44th Med Bde out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. From 2000-2002, I attended the Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia, to attain my Baccalaureate in the Science of Nursing. From Fall 2002-Spring 2006, I was primarily stationed on the Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum Unit, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. During my time in El Paso, I was attached to the 10th CSH out of Fort Carson, Colorado in support of OIFI as a medical surgical nurse. I attended my specialty 66G(OB-GYN) nursing training at Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. From the Fall of 2006 to the spring of 2009, I served at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC as a 66G on both the Labor and Delivery Unit and Mother Baby Unit. I currently attend the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland to attain training as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
And do you have a favorite or memorable one?
I have had many inspirational leaders in my career and to name a few would leave out too many. I absolutely love my tour in Europe but I’d have to say my most memorable journey was my tour to El Paso, TX. Many mixed experiences there but all grossly built upon one another to get me where I am today. I cried a lot and I laughed a lot…most of all, I learned a lot about the meaning of family, families, and why it is so important to give 100% of yourself in all you do…be your best so that your family has a chance to be theirs!
What number of deployment is this for you? (or How many deployments have you served?)
I’ve only been deployed once.
Being a dual-military family, how do you deal with deployments and separations?
Separations were hard in the beginning. Okay, let’s face it, at the outset of a marriage, stress, insecurity, and jealousy, are probably the worst feelings to have but we’ve all experienced them and they come with the territory. When you learn to grow with each other and move past these things, bigger and more important things begin to surface-like focusing on the fact that you need to “be there” for “one another” and for the whole family. Expecting time apart is probably the biggest pill to swallow than the way it feels once it goes down…once it gets digested, I think important discoveries are made…like learning to appreciate yourself for who you are for YOU, for who YOU are for your children, and for who YOU are for your spouse who is away (or who is left at home while you are gone). It can require a lot of reassurance and sometimes it feels like you’re taking the training wheels off for the first time…but once you get going, you get your balance and next thing you know, you’re not even holding the handle bars. Okay, I never did learn to ride a bike without holding on for dear life…but you follow me.
Do you have children? How do you work with them pre-, during, and post-deployment?
We have three amazing children, Colby 15, Jacob 12 and Marly 10. The key to making separations work is keeping the lines of communication open and making sure that each member of the “team” knows how important their support and understanding is when our family must be apart. It isn’t a walk in the park for our babies, but I truly believe that as long as Tom and I treat it optimistically, so do they, as well. Our children feed off our energy and if we are strong, they tend to be more resilient. I learned to never make a promise I can’t keep…like being home for a birthday; well at least not on the “birthday” we simply make up for it when we all can be together. If I make a promise, I KEEP IT! Provide a lot of love. There is no such thing as too many hugs! And try to laugh with them as much as possible…even if it is just so they imprint what it is like when you are “happy with them” so when you are not…they remember.
Being an Army wife, soldier, (mother) and more, what keeps you grounded?
Most definitely my children…without a shadow of doubt they remind me every day of why I do what I do. As long as I have their support, I’ll serve until I can’t low crawl anymore!
When you are not wearing your uniform, what do you like to do?
That’s a loaded question. I love playing with my children, dancing, working-out, arts and crafts, visiting family, hiking, photography, taking in life as it comes my way.
What are you looking forward to seeing and reading in the new Army Wife magazine? OR What would you like to see?
More exciting stories of women who serve dual military and those who are supporting their husbands who serve. I commend every spouse who endures this lifestyle. You are amazing men and women and it is a privilege to have you in this community. Our organizational mission would absolutely fail without the support of all of you and I truly hope you realize what a service you do for your spouse every day. Thank you!
What issue(s) do you think affect the Army soldier/wife the most?
I love them all. I encourage Army spouses to reach out and get to know one another…you don’t have to become best friends but you can betcha’ that these folks will be some of the few who will understand your sufferings when your loved one is not home.
What Army programs or resources would you suggest that have helped you to be a strong Army soldier/wife?
Absolutely the Army Community Service program has been a great resource to our family. I highly recommend that military families seek out their installation’s community programs. There isn’t a rock unturned in what the military service centers have to help families be successful- whether it be for counseling, training, or coping with illness and disability.
Is there anything else you want to add?
Ok, I’m still learning all the ins-and-outs of the web-site but having an exhaustive list of Army Installation resources by post would be excellent…it might already be there but I’m still working my way through it :-)
Keep up the great job Brandy!!! You are an amazing woman and I am so proud of you!
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