Military spouse sheds light on life as a military wife in Married Quarter – Boots, Berets and Blood Uniforms
It has been a long journey as a military spouse for Maria Augustus-Dunn who travelled far and wide with her husband over 21 years.
Townsville
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It has been a long journey as a military spouse for Maria Augustus-Dunn who travelled near and far with her husband over 21 years.
As an ode to her husband’s service in the Australian Army, Ms Augustus-Dunn has penned her first book lightheartedly reflecting on her time as an army wife.
Married Quarter – Boots, Berets, and Bloody Uniforms explores packing up her life every three years to follow her husband to his next posting, and leaving her friends, her job and stability behind.
After marrying Brad Dunn in 1990, the couple arrived in Townsville the same year, where Ms Augustus-Dunn had her first taste of life as a military spouse.
“I just wanted to write a book, and I thought I will write a book about military life and what it is like on our side of the fence,” she said.
“Not a lot of people hear about what happens behind the scenes but you hear all about soldiers and their service and deployments but you don’t hear about what happens with the families.”
The couple were posted at various locations over the 21 years they were married, including Darwin, Canberra, Melbourne, Cambodia and Puckapunyal.
Mr Dunn retired in 2011 and the couple have spent the last nine years travelling Australia as grey nomads.
Ms Augustus-Dunn said she had trouble putting roots down in Townsville but eventually secured a job at Target at CastleTown.
“In the early ’90s in Townsville, there was some discrimination against military families because we only stay for a little while, which I understand, so while I looked for work, I volunteered at Meals on Wheels,” she said.
Ms Augustus-Dunn said she was overwhelmed with how the book had resonated with many people.
“The feedback I have received is people saying, ‘oh, I read the book and I feel like I am not the only one who has experienced this’,” she said.
“For me the book is a voice for all the spouses; even though it’s Brad and I’s story, I like to think of it as all the families’ stories.”
Married Quarter – Boots, Berets and Bloody Uniforms is available for purchase at Mary Who? in Flinders St.
Originally published as Military spouse sheds light on life as a military wife in Married Quarter – Boots, Berets and Blood Uniforms