Long distance marriage? Thoughts?

Back story: My husband and I have been together for a total of five years. Married for two. We are both young, only 21, but we are best friends and we spend everyday together. He deploys for 9 months this fall overseas due to being active duty. While he is away we both agreed I should move home for safety reasons because our duty station is in a very bad city, in addition to me struggling with depression, so moving home with my family is overall what is best for me. Plus, he doesn’t want the extra stress of worrying about me living alone, 14 hours away from family, while deployed. He’ll be under enough stress as it is.

So, while he is on deployment, I have the opportunity to start an RN program in my hometown. However, it would be around (give or take) an additional 15 months apart, even after he returns from his 9 month deployment. We’ve discussed it and he says to go for it so I can have my dream career, but I’m second guessing myself because I don’t want to sign a death wish for my marriage. I️ expressed to him my concerns of our marriage suffering and he simply says “I️ won’t let that happen.” We’ve done long distance before and we were perfect, but it was for only 7 months, not 15. I’m just worried we’ll grow apart, truly. We’ve spent nearly everyday together since we started dating in 2013, we’re best friends by choice. I️ love being with him and enjoying life by his side. I just don’t want him to resent me for not being home (his duty station) upon his arrival back into the states. I also am having a hard time with the fact I would be so far away from him even when he comes back to the U.S. It makes me upset to even think about, but I want to do what’s best for us and our future. I want us (mainly him) to have everything he wants in life and if I can give that to him financially by sacrificing a year apart, I’ll do it. (Currently I’m in school and a waitress so he pays almost all of the bills and I HATE that I can’t provide more because he deserves more!)

Any thoughts or advice? Or tips from someone who is in the same position or has done long distance with their spouse? Are we making the right decision or should I consider waiting until the end of 2019 to move back to our duty station and then begin a program? I really don’t want our marriage to suffer.