Married to the Army

Diane Barkley, wife of Joseph Barkley (USMA ‘65), discusses being “married to the Army” and the impact on their family during her husband’s two tours in Vietnam. In this interview, she talks about her experiences dating West Point Cadets, Army life in Germany, and dealing with Joe’s deployments to Vietnam. She provides a glimpse into the America of the late 1960s and some of the issues she faced while her husband was overseas. By the time Joe returned from his second deployment, Diane had become very independent, and the family faced a challenging adjustment period when he stepped back into his role in the family. She ends the interview describing their transition to civilian life, and provides advice to military spouses.