by peachesmelba
Very nice story but the end almost leaves one begging for a sequel. Please do!
A good story except for a pet peeve of mine is the misconception that the family of a military service member killed in action is somehow left destitute.
There are extensive benefits available to the spouse and children of a military service members. Granted they will not make the family rich but they will not be in the poor house. The benefits range from life insurance and social security to monthly payments and health benefits. By marrying the Gunny and listing the daughter as his child Deirdre had deprived herself of some of those benefits that are only available as long as she does not remarry (granted she gets some of them being married to the gunny)and her daughter will of course not get the Social Security Survivor payments among other benefits.
Also Medical Care for the Marine personnel (and their dependents) is normally provided by Navy personnel. The doctor should have had the Naval rank of Lieutenant Commander not Marine, Army, Air Force rank of Major. Of course to be fair it is just as possible that the Doctor would have been a civilian contractor there being a shortage of OB/GYN doctors in the military.
Anonymous, that you had replied directly to me but that's okay - we'll discuss it in this format since you prefer to remain hidden. Let me say - first - my youngest son was delivered by a Marine Major in a Naval Hospital. The Major in question was serving in the Reserves. Second - some of what you say is true - there are benefits available to survivors of JUNIOR enlisted service members killed in action. I would not call them "extensive" benefits. I was stretching the truth more than a little by allowing them a two story house on base. Many junior enlisted do not qualify for base housing at all (depending on the size of the base) BUT many, if not most junior enlisted are living near or below the poverty level. A great many are on food stamps. Survivor benefits for "baby Mary" - with a father less than 30 years old and having ten or fewer years of service would not be huge. Commissary and Exchange privileges as well as access to medical care all continue whether she is listed as John's baby or her natural father's. Third - much of this story comes from first hand experience - enough said in that regard. Finally - it wouldn't have been much of a "romance" if she'd said "no thanks, I'd rather stay widowed, collect my benefits, raise my child alone, vacate housing and go immediately back to work in order to avoid abject poverty" - what WAS pure fantasy and fiction was the fact that John and Dee manage to fall in love - with each other!
Peachmelba is right in that the story line seems to require impending poverty but it does seem to paint an unfair picture that the military abandons the family of a service member killed in action.
Anonymous is right in that the benefits are fairly extensive but what he/she fails to mention that accessing many of those benefits is difficult because of the paper work and many are not automatic but need to be applied for. That needs to be streamlined.
The story "Military Spouse Survivor Benefits"
by fregen on this site gives a good detailed example here they are summerized:
Lumps sum death gratutity, SGLI, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)-both spouse and children, The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), Social Security along with Health Care and other benefits
Yes, many junior enlisted are on food stamps, but let us be honest it is self inflicted in most cases. They know what the pay scale is when they enlist and yet they still chose to get married and have children. It is rare in the civilian world that an employer gives you a pay raise just because you commit parenthood and the same holds true for the military.
Common sense says you wait till you afford a family before you have one. A return to the old days where a service member needed a Commanding Officers permission to marry would be in order and ideally no service member below the pay grade of E-4 with less than 4 years service should be permitted to marry. I know, fat chance of that happening.
Your story was really good and I hope you put out another part soon. Your story was correct in alot of facts, my dad was Army for 30 yrs. He retired and passed away leaving my Mom and brother to survive om benifits and they SUCK. Dee would have lost housing, and most of her insurance and the babies depending on her husbands rank would have been from 250 to 500 a month, not a lot when it comes to raising a child, and she would have to find housing, day care because for rent and food. My dad always had a saying that someone told him in training and he hated it but it was said often -- If the Military wanted you to have a family they would have issued you one, they only wanted a soldier.--- not very nice but I heard it alot, and my Dad was SGM E9 when he retired. Again dont listien to those that didnt live it and keep writting. Thanks Emeraldangel
really hope there will be a sequel, this was far too good a story to leave here.
Very nice story. Well written. I hope there is a sequel. This is too good to stop here. LOYL
PM, you are a woman after my own heart. Pregnant, lactating, oral & redhead - WOW all of my desires in one place. SWEET - RS
Redhead, oral, lactation, anal...it was sooo good that I have teared up (AND stiffened up) twice! Bill
I agree with some of the other postings; a sequel would be great. He comes home, and in superb detail you tell all the great things they do with each other, while producing a bunch more babies.
I don't know that I've ever teared up and got insanely horny all at the same time. Beautiful story, but I agree, this definitely deserves a next chapter!
As a foreigner (Australian) I have no idea of the subtleties of US military custom.
As a 4 time father you did more than cover the ins and outs of incipient parturition.
That was a damned good story.
The story flowed oddly at times, but tbh I think that highlighted how out of his depth Gunny was, but the real highlight for me was Rae Jeanne, an absolute pistol and a character that deserves a side story of her own. 5 stars because I enjoyed it despite it feeling a bit disjointed at times.