For many families, extended time spent apart is a rare occasion. But for the Ballenger family, and countless other active military families, it is a lived experience.

Joshua and Stephanie Ballenger met in a bar while Joshua was a Sergeant with the U.S. Marines. The two fell in love, and now raise two children, Rhett Williams and Beckett Ballenger, in Emporia.

Looking for stability and less lengthy deployments, Joshua switched branches to the National Guard and climbed to the rank of Staff Sergeant. The transition was difficult, but guaranteed that the Ballenger family could stay in Kansas all while remaining active in the military.

“Our first three years, transitioning from the Marine Corps to the army was really hard,” Stephanie said. “He was gone a lot. The very first time he left was

See Full Page