EP 08: The Chief and His Fiancée: From Going Dutch to Getting Hitched

Afterthought on The Military Family

Was it difficult to date a military service member?

What are the ways partners can show their love and support to one another?

How do you stay emotionally connected with a service member during LDR?

In this episode, you’ll learn from Jessa how she and Travis keep their relationship strong by building a strong foundation based on respect, love, trust, faith, and mutual encouragement.

About the Guest:

Jessa Tamonan is a strong, independent woman, who’s currently based in the Philippines working as a virtual assistant. She’s a former OFW in Japan and Bahrain and is the fiancée of our previous guest, Navy Chief Travis Darling.

The couple is behind Jessa & Travis on TikTok and YouTube, where they share their love story and day-to-day life as a military couple.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:

• Learn ways to show love and support to one another
• Find out the right mentality you should have as a military partner
• Learn how to establish a strong relationship with a military service member

Check out these episode highlights:

• 03:15 - How Jessa and Travis met
• 04:16 - Regular communication and “stalking” social media accounts
• 04:43 - The one fact that made her realize how honest he is
• 05:09 - Why she asked her friends to accompany her during their first meet-up
• 05:50 - How he tested her independence and why she never got offended by it
• 07:47 - How they proved their genuine interest towards one another
• 08:33 - Exclusively dating and engagement
• 10:18 - Her first impression on Travis being a military man
• 11:31 - The challenges they faced as a military couple and how they overcame them
• 13:29 - Ways they show love and support to one another
• 18:30 - How Jessa deals with the homesickness
• 19:16 - The what-ifs and expectations in the military
• 21:56 - Early orientation on military PCS (Permanent Change of Station)
• 23:04 - Resilience of military spouses
• 24:05 - Jealousy vs. Reassurance
• 25.06 - Her career goals, plans, and working as a team of two
• 27:11 - Common misconception about military salaries
• 27:32 - Her religious upbringing and family values
• 29:46 - Her plans of joining the military
• 30:40 - The right mentality as a military partner
• 32:25 - Solid military relationship advice from Jessa
• 33:44 - What is next for Jessa & Travis

Guest Links:

Connect with Jessa & Travis

Connect With Me:

• Facebook

Enjoyed the Podcast? Be sure to subscribe to Spotify and leave a review. It means so much to hear your feedback and we’d love for you to help us spread the word!

DISCLAIMER:
The views and opinions expressed on this podcast are those of the host and guests, and do not reflect the views, positions, and opinions of the US Military, its Foreign Counterparts, and/or other entities they represent.