Part one: In deep water
Dealing with the challenges of a deployment was nothing new for Alison, whose husband is a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy. But this one was different.
Near the end of her husband’s six-month deployment, she learned that his ship—one of the world’s largest aircraft carriers—wasn’t about to speed him home as expected.
Instead, responding to a global crisis, it had turned back around.
As Alison remembers, the timeline for his return quickly veered off course as well: “First, it was October 31, then it was November 31, then December 17, then some indefinite time in January…"
One such revision to that timeline came while Alison was not only at work, but right in the middle of a meeting.
“I received word that there was ‘no way’ my husband’s ship would be back in time for Christmas,” she says.
Struggling to make sense of this news—"a scary and overwhelming moment"—she messaged her manager, who promptly took over.
“I knew he had my back,” Alison says. “Support like that matters.”
To be sure, it really does. But it’s a far cry from the only reason why Alison, even as ship-bound comms shut down, says she never felt alone.
Part two: A community of support
Enter Alex, Alison’s colleague at Johnson & Johnson—a fellow military spouse and someone with whom she shares an unusual amount of common ground.
For example:
- Both joined Johnson & Johnson via leadership development programs.
- Both work 100% remotely, which can be an important flexibility option for military spouses.
- Both have husbands in the U.S. Navy, and those husbands happened to be on the very same ship.
This last detail they stumbled upon a few months prior during a virtual meeting of the Veterans Leadership Council (VLC), our award-winning employee resource group for the military-connected community. They had casually kept in touch since then, but now they were communicating daily.
“It all fell into place at the right time,” Alex says.
Yet even with Alison’s support (“She was my rock”), Alex remembers this as “an incredibly hectic, chaotic and stressful time"—and she isn’t exaggerating.
Uncertainty about her spouse aside, Alex was also carrying out business-critical financial close processes, coordinating her family’s relocation to Florida and caring for two young children, aged two and four. All by herself. All at the same time.
A lot for anyone to handle, and the backdrop against which she and Alison began swapping notes.
“We wanted some kind of reassurance that our husbands were safe, but we really didn’t know what would happen next,” Alex says.
A possible answer came on December 22, but calling it an early Christmas present is probably a stretch.
“We learned that our husbands might be making a port call in a few days in Greece, but that there weren’t any guarantees,” Alison says.
Still, the news led to a lively conversation, which culminated in the following (according to Alex): “Alison was adamant, ‘I’m going to Greece!’ And I just said, ‘Alright, if you’re going, then I’m going, too.’”
Part three: Going the extra mile
From opposite corners of the country, Alison—who lives in Washington—and Alex—based in Virginia at the time—flew separately to Greece, braving 30-plus-hour travel itineraries to link up in Athens.
There, halfway around the world on the day after Christmas, the two bleary-eyed colleagues from Johnson & Johnson met for the first time in person.
“It was such an exciting moment and we couldn’t believe we pulled it off—I think we literally jumped on each other!” Alex says, laughing.
Many such moments followed once their husbands were able to join them—in fact, the reunited couples dined together that evening, celebrating with toasts to Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. Navy for bringing them together.
“This is a friendship for life,” Alison says, adding, “I don’t think either of us would’ve gone to Greece without the other.”
Alex agrees: “I’m so grateful to Alison, I truly don’t know what I would’ve done without her.”
Part four: Reintegration in focus
Of course, this story doesn’t actually end with the joyful homecoming ceremonies for Alison’s and Alex’s husbands in January 2024 after eight-and-a-half months away.
Reintegration might be thought of as sort of like the opposite of quarantine—what’s healthful and necessary, after so much time away, is breathing the same air, and allowing for sometimes messy exchange.
“There was so much joy and happiness in Greece, but there was also sorrow, especially on the last night,” Alison says. “Birthdays and milestones were missed, which is important to point out, because that’s part of the story, too.”
She continues, “The perception is that it’s simply awesome to finally have this person back in your life—and it is awesome, don’t get me wrong. But the reality is that you have to deal with challenges. It takes patience, and you have to be willing to make adjustments.”
With that in mind, Alison and Alex were grateful for policies designed to make such transitions easier for military spouses at Johnson & Johnson, including the option to take 10 days of PTO per year for military-connected events like a spouse’s deployment.
“Getting back into a normal routine, having dad be part of everything again—all of that is a process, and yet it has to happen right alongside the hustle and bustle of everyday life,” Alex says.
As for the friendship between Alison and Alex, it remains just as strong today.
“It’s unusual to have someone who understands what you’re going through and experiencing on an almost intuitive level,” Alex says. “It’s pretty amazing.”
Join forces with our military-connected community
Quite unlike ships in the night, military-connected employees at Johnson & Johnson are a tight-knit group, and we do everything we can to support them. While Alison’s and Alex’s recent PTO is one example of how we do it, there are many other reasons why we’re part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership, too.
With all of that in mind, what’s the best next step for you?
- Search and apply for job opportunities at Johnson & Johnson.
- Discover the structured, growth-oriented career paths we’ve built for all members of the military-connected community.
- Enroll in our global talent community, where you can also sign up to receive updates about relevant job opportunities as they become available in the future.
