Keyhole, you so obviously have never had anything to do with the military and hence have no understanding of military life. Not a good position from which to make judgements like this. I grew up with many friends among US and British military families. My father was an Irish civilian employed the US government to a bit of an unusual job in Germany. For a while I went to a military high school. I can assure you that military families do not have it easy at all. Yes, the wives / husbands do know their OHs may be deployed far away from the family at times. They love their husbands / wives just as much as civilians do and hence miss them just as we do, with the difference that they also have to live with the fear of a knock on the door and an officer telling them that their OH has been injured or even killed in action!! At that point not only do their hearts break, but they also soon after lose their homes in most cases!
Pay is not good, especially considering the danger these brave soldiers put themselves into for people who obviously do not appreciate their efforts, including you, keyhole!
It isn't easy on the children either! Changing schools and languages and not knowing where their Mum or Dad is for long periods, not being able to communicate with both parents on a day to day basis ... need I say more?
When we were living in Germany many years ago, the American Forces soldiers were not doing too badly for themselves. At that time, on the European military scene, the British Forces were seen as not looking after their own very well ... rubbish accomodation, low pay, few if any perks etc. Hence so many of the British soldiers' families used to shop in the American PX and Commissaries. I only know one person who is in the Brish Army now and she says not much has changed.
We owe these soldiers and their families the greatest respect and it does annoy me when people try to put them down, who have no idea of what their lives are like!!