Time Away

[Aussie]

How much time would the average infantry battalion spend away from home every year on exercises and other activities, not counting active service?

[Tab]

You might as well ask how long is a piece of string, it can depend just what unit you are in, whether they spend more time overseas than some of the others.

[got1]

Sat down with the wife one night a while ago. She has that womans thing ,elephants memory.
Counted up any time I'd been away more than 2months, exercises ,tours etc. It came to 6.5 yrs out of the first 9yrs we had been married.
My daughter was 2days old when I left on one tour, she was a year old when I seen her again.
My wife broke water on the stairs of the hospital when I had to leave on an exercise.
It does have its compensations though, no shitty nappies etc.
I think they have a rougher time than us because we always have our mates around.
Plenty of blokes have been away a lot longer and some a lot less. It up to you what you make of it.