I took my son to visit my husband, the commander, but the guard blocked us at the gate and said, “His girlfriend is inside the unit. No visitors!” I covered my son’s ears, called my second brother, and

return home right away. Instead, she parked near the marina, where dark water shifted beneath the evening wind, and allowed Ethan to sleep beneath his dinosaur blanket in the back seat.

For eleven years, she had been the wife of Commander Andrew Whitaker.

Among military spouses, she was known as gracious, reliable, and composed. She organized dinners.continue reading …