Gearing Up For Deployment.

If you told me last year that I'd be dating a Army officer and that I'd be gearing up to stand by him during his 1st deployment in November, I would have thought that you were crazy. Fast forward a year later and that's where I am today. I met my boyfriend during his first duty station at Ft.Richardson, AK. We've been dating for 8 months and we have went on vacations together, met both families and basically have incorporated each other into our lives as much as would be feasible in 8 months. I love him very much and as November is coming closer I start feeling the reality of my other half leaving me. I would consider myself a very independent person but we have spent every possible day together the past 8 months. I know that our love is strong enough to survive this deployment but I also know that this will be one of the toughest years of my life... I'm anxious and scared. To make matters worse, we have become very close to another Army guy and his girlfriend. They just got engaged this week but when he deploys she's going back home to be with her family. My family is here and I have friends here but I am worried about not having enough people around that can empathize with what I will be going through. I would like to get involved with the Ft. Rich FRG although my boyfriend hasn't introduced me to the group yet. I feel like this is something that you can read all the stories in the world about deployment but you won't really know what it means for you and your significant other until the day he leaves. Thoughts? Comments?