Here's to those that we knew that died while serving. They deserve to be remembered.
To those I knew, I miss you guys.
Vince Michael
Duane Dively
Marty McGregor
Rich Schneider
Hawk Hawkins
Mark Graziano
Kirk Shauger
Randy Roby
I'll bite, SADL is an Army radio built well before Link 16, it was available and the ANG decided to buy it due to the active duty waiting for more years for link 16. It works great, Link is a bit better by now, but it is still good. Bottom line, it is an ANG appropriation versus active duty.
To the OP - very simple answer: marry the right chick. I didn't for mulligan wife. Deploying was a pain, she needed to talk every day. Each and every TDY I was obviously cheating. Insecure women are not a good match for military dudes. The irony is that she was in as well - flew tankers.
Fast forward many years and I've moved on to the real wife. 6 months in Afghanistan was no big deal. She fixes sinks, kills critters and (when I'm not deployed) gives phenomenal blowies. Insecure and/or high maintenance is a bad match for our career. That lesson needs to be learned and it's why so many of us had starter wives.