Many Eastern students have made their journeys back to campus after spring break, which many used to see their loved ones and friends.

However, Ashley Hunter, a senior sociology major, was not able to see her boyfriend, who is stationed overseas serving in the Army.

Hunter and Randy Finney have been in a military relationship for 13 months. Finney is in the Army and currently stationed in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. Hunter and Finney have not seen each other since August 2010 and won’t see each other again until April when he gets two weeks of leave time.

Finney is 23 and Hunter is his first girlfriend since he was 17. And ever since Finney left for Afghanistan the couple has kept in touch by communicating over Skype and Facebook almost everyday. Hunter said she feels grateful for the times she gets to talk to Finney.

“I am very lucky because many military relationships they don’t talk for days,” Hunter said. “Well, him and I usually talk every day unless he goes on a mission so I am very lucky for that.”

The couple agreed that the holidays and celebrations are the hardest part of being away from one another.

Hunter usually spends the holidays with her family, friends and also visits Finney’s family. The couple gets through this hard time by sending each other care packages, talking to each other throughout the holidays and having hopes that next year they will be spending the holidays together.

“I miss so much. I miss the holidays, birthdays. It just really sucks not being there with her,” Finney said.

When Hunter is not talking to Finney, she is normally keeping herself busy with school, work, playing the occasional Wii games and spending time with her friends and family. Hunter and Finney have a strong support system when it comes to their family and friends.

“His parents and family are extremely supportive of him and I. My mother is really supportive and my dad is supportive,” Hunter said. “My friends are also super supportive. They all love him and how we are when we are together. They are a huge support and really help me get through the rough patches.”

Even though they sometimes argue both Finney and Hunter feel that their long distance relationship is worth it because they both love each other and are committed to making the relationship work.

Hunter said she feels communication is key to the relationship working. She said that during a long distance relationship is when communication is learned and is crucial. She also said that a couple is doomed if they can’t communicate properly even if they are not face-to-face.

SFC Hoh, a Military Science Instructor at Eastern, has been on two tours to Afghanistan and has been married for 10 years with two children. Hoh said that constant communication was what helped him get through his time in Afghanistan.

“They (military couples) should practice open communication when they are here so they can have open communication when they are apart,” Hoh said.

The Army also offers support groups to help people deal with the transition of their partner being away. The group is called Army Family Team Building and their mission statement is as follows: “Army Family Team Building empowers individuals, maximizing their personal growth and professional development through specialized training, transforming our community into a resilient and strong foundation meeting today’s military mission,” according to myarmyonesource.com.

Due to these military programs and others like it the divorce rate among married military couples has gone down. The divorce rate was 2.6 percent in 2001, 3.6 percent in 2009 and stayed the same in 2010, according to military.com

Finney will be in the Army for another three years and four months, but when he gets out, the couple plans on moving in together and getting married a few years after that. Hunter will finish college at Eastern in May and Finney hopes to enroll in college when he is done with the Army.

“Personally with my going through it right now, it’s completely worth it. I love him more than anything in this world and I would much rather be without him next to me for a year, than to not have him in my life at all,” Hunter said.

Samantha Bilharz can be reached at 581-7943 or slbilharz@eiu.edu.