I MARRIED a girl from a civil background who had no clue about matters military. All she knew was that we wore the olive green uniform and defended the country deployed at the ‘border’. Blissfully unaware of the hierarchy of the organisation, it took a while for her to understand the difference between a GOC (General Officer Commanding) and a JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer). The jargon used by my colleagues was Greek to her and she found the use of abbreviations in writing very amusing.Curious like a kitten, she would bombard me with questions: What do we do when there is no war? Why do we have so many types of dresses to wear? Why do soldiers wear a woollen beret even in summer? Why do we drink standing and not sit in parties when all chairs are empty? Why does the Commanding Officer salute me when in uniform? It took some effort to educate her about our customs and traditions.Married to an aviator gave her a sense of pride in her circle of friends and one got a lot of attention and ‘likes’ even when Facebook and Whatsapp were not conceived. It was only after a couple of helicopter crashes and a few deaths in the squadron that reality dawned upon her. The Army was not about picnics and golfing alone, we had serious business to do and the risk to life was higher than any other profession. The agonising separations that followed due to one’s postings to the Siachen Glacier and the Valley introduced her to the concept of God. Her baptism into the Army was complete when the Kargil war broke out and she would feel the pain of every family which received ‘body bags’ from the frozen frontiers.    As I grew in service, she got involved in the welfare of families and children of troops under my command. Dealing with cases of marital discord, counselling children and efforts to improve their quality of life became her priority. My professional commitments did not give me enough time for my own family. Single-handedly, she reared up our children, and before I realised, they grew up into confident youngsters ready to explore their dreams. Wedded for two decades now, her approach to life is regimented. Before any ‘project’ in the house, she holds a family ‘conference’, giving out the ‘aim’. Options are discussed and she decides upon the ‘most preferred option’. She takes into account ‘contingencies’ and keeps ‘reserves’. A ‘recce’ is carried out and she insists on ‘feedback’ after it is accomplished to ensure ‘economy of effort’. Having started the journey as a fiancée of a Captain, she has traversed a long distance and stands tall. As I fade away from the olive greens, all that remains for me is to salute this person who stood by me without demanding any acknowledgement.