For 18 years, I was a military brat. My dad retired as a colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers the year I graduated from high school. Being a military brat has allowed me to experience and do so many different things, good and "bad." Even though I don't plan on entering the military myself, I admire what these brave men and women do, getting to know them first hand. I continue to see this as I attend UNG, one of the U.S. Senior Military Colleges. Being a military brat can be difficult, but it can also be very rewarding. Here are some things I experienced as a military brat.
1. Not knowing where to call home.
I have lived in seven states, each for varying amounts of time. I was born in Key West, Fl., but I have lived in Springfield, Va. the longest. I lived in Key West for only two weeks. I have lived in Springfield for ten years. I don't call either of them home because they don't feel like home. I never got to put down roots deep enough to call someplace my home. My home is where my family is living. Yes, they live in Springfield, but that's not my home, my house is my home, until we move again.
2. Moving often.
I moved about every two years. I have lived in Springfield three times, the latter two were in the same house. It was certainly an adventure to pack up and move somewhere new so often. Sometimes, we would just leave things packed because we knew we wouldn't be staying long.
3. Adapting to new schools fast.
New city, new school. Even states in the same region have very different cultures, communities, and school curricula. Most of the time we move in the summer to avoid having to change what we studied, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Going from New Jersey back to Virginia, I had to switch from learning about the Inuits, to learning Virginian history. Going from Virginia to Washington state, I had to go from algebra to integrated math, algebra and geometry. And not to mention we had to make new friends all over again.
4. Waking up to the sound of a cannon.
At 6 a.m. sharp there was that loud boom. Depending on where you lived on base, you may or may not have heard it. Living in Fort Dix, we were just a block away from it. I certainly woke my eight year old self up a few times.
5. You know at least "Retreat" by heart.
I say at least because you might also know "Reveille" and "Taps," as well. Our young selves may have not been awake for those though. We all were awake for Retreat. The moment the bugle started playing, we stop and put our right hand over our heart. And sometimes, you hum it.
6. You knew and addressed adults by their rank.
If you weren't on a military base, you were probably in a neighborhood with at least one other member of the military. If you weren't, you certainly saw your parents' military friends often enough to say Colonel or Captain instead of Mr. or Mrs.
7. You knew more American history than your classmates.
Let's face it, our parents fight for our country so they made sure we knew about it. Remember the curricula changes I mentioned early? I got a perfect score on my Virginia history Standards of Learning (SOL) test with only half the school year to learn it. I knew most of this because my parents taught me about our great nation, and made sure I studied it well.
8. You have some military clothing.
I'm not talking just about camo. I mean you have a shirt or jacket from your parents' platoon or company. Before I outgrew it, I had a polo from the 104th Infantry Division, a..ka. the Timberwolf Division, that I wore often. And, yeah, I had a camouflage hat too.
9. You know the law.
Like American history, you parents made sure you knew what they were fighting for. The Constitution, Bill of Rights and further Amendments, and other laws, you knew about and could lecture about.
10. Exercise was a form of discipline.
Aside from spanking and grounding, exercise was an effective punishment. It works in basic training, why not in the home? I'm not talking about giving the kids a 50 pound backpack and making them run with it -- some push-ups would do, instead. Aren't you a little better for it?
11. You are used to having one parent around while the other travels.
TDY (Temporary duty) was often a yearly thing. My dad would be gone for a week or two and then come back. In the mean time, we (my little brother and I) would have to step up to help out around the house more. Plus, he usually brought back some great souvenirs.
12. You are well-traveled.
You may have not gotten to travel everywhere your parents went TDY, but you definitely got some miles in. Plus those road trips you took when moving probably had several detours along the way to have some fun.
13. Fear of your parents being deployed.
This is the part of military life no one likes to talk about. When the war in the Middle East began, I was scared my dad would have to go over to fight. At eight-years-old, I knew this could mean he could die over there. I saw some of my friends' parents be deployed. Thankfully, they returned. Being in a military family, that is our reality. No member of the military wants to go to war, but they will make that sacrifice to ensure we can live our lives peacefully.
