An Army Brat And A Navy Spouse: A Tale Of Two Services

Dianne (Fowler) Reason was reared in the Army, the daughter of a West Point graduate (’41) and the sister of two West Point graduates (Jim Fowler ’67, and David Fowler ’74). As a young girl, she experienced the adventure of traveling the world as her father was stationed in places like Taiwan and Germany. In 1965, she married a young Naval Academy Graduate, Paul Reason, and for the next 34 years continued her travels as the Navy took her family from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In this interview, she describes her experiences growing up in an Army family overseas, where she felt more accepted than at home in the United States. She also talks about how the families of black officers developed an extremely close bond. Finally, she offers her insights into life as a Navy spouse, and explains what each Academy means to her.