I have been a military significant other for about a year and five months now, and one of my biggest pet peeves is hearing other girls romanticize my relationship. The only thing they think of is a good looking man in a uniform when there is so much more to keep in mind when pursuing such a relationship. So, I decided to make a list of 5 things to keep in mind for a military relationship:

1. Don't do it because he looks good in a uniform

You can't base a relationship off of how someone looks in general, let alone because he looks good in his dress blues. In a military relationship, you have to be there through thick and thin, not just when he looks like Prince Charming. There will be days when he will be tired from work, or when he comes back from weeks in the field, and I can assure you, he won't be as dashing. He will be grumpy, sore, and will probably just want sleep.

2. Don't do it for the benefits

There is nothing I hate more than being asked if I did it for the benefits. Because, yes, there are people out there who do that. He did not join the military for you to leech off of his hard work and sacrifice. Which brings me to number 3:

3. If sacrifice isn't in your vocabulary, don't do it

With the military comes so many sacrifices, I can't count them all on one hand. You will miss holidays, birthdays, graduations, births, and anniversaries. You'll also be forfeiting date nights. You will cry to sleep at night when he's gone for weeks or months at a time. If he's overseas, you'll sacrifice sleep just to be able to talk to him. You'll sacrifice time with family and friends to video chat while you can. You might even sacrifice your sanity until you learn to cope with depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

4. Those homecoming videos only show the good stuff

Don't get me wrong, I love a good tearjerker, but those videos only show one of the best parts of being in a military relationship. Every time my husband comes home on leave, I appreciate having him so much more. It's almost like meeting each other again for the first time. However, before you're able to see each other again, there are months of crying, sleepless nights, and continuously checking the countdown until he's home.

5. Maturity is key

I'm not saying you have to already be mature, but you have to be more willing than other people to surpass the maturity level. You will grow with time and patience, because in a military relationship, time is your worst enemy, and patience is your most needed virtue.

I hope my list hasn't dismayed any of you from pursuing a military relationship. One thing I can assure anyone is that it will be completely worth it in the end. I wouldn't give my time as a military spouse for anything else in the world. If you're willing to sacrifice, be mature, and be there for your SO, then I implore you to take this journey.

P.S. the benefits are pretty good and I do love my Prince Charming