You sound like you have the right attitude and motivation. I think you will not regret joining IF you can get your wife to support your decision. Long separations can put a lot of stress on the best marriages, especially if there are kids. It might be worthwhile to check with a local military installation to see if they have a spouse support group where she can go and ask questions. Military wives, active duty, guard or reserve, are in a pretty good position to explain the impact on them. Some of them will have negative experiences to talk about, especially when it comes to deployments, frequent moves, etc., but she will also hear from those who consider military life as a positive. Either way, the experience will ensure she is part of the decision process which might be enough to gain her support. Good luck.