My father has served this country for 24 years and is still serving. I owe my entire upbringing to the Marine Corps. It hasn't been easy but I honestly wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm sure every other product of the military would agree.
1. The dreaded question when moving to a public school. Civilians love to ask us those horrid four words. "Where are you from?". Lets see, do you mean where I was born? Where I live currently? Where I've lived the longest? My favorite place I lived?
2. Civilians never understand us. I mean like ever. I swear they think we like come from a different planet. Or worse, they think they can relate to us. No you don't understand how hard moving is because you moved down the street when you were 10. Not how this works.
3. Military base schools are basically a saving grace because you don't have to explain yourself to anymore. The kids just get it. They know what you're going through because they've done it too.
4. The treacherous moment when someone actually has heard of a base you've lived at and thinks they know everything about it. "Oh you lived in Quantico! I love NCIS!"
5. The teeth clenching moment when you're a child of a Marine and someone calls your dad a Soldier. NOT. THE. SAME. THING. Army= Soldiers, Marine Corps= Marines..
6. The sound of TAPS will send you chills. Almost every single time.
7. You know what the phonetic alphabet is. Better yet, you KNOW the phonetic alphabet.
8. Grocery store? You mean commissary?
9.Every daughter of the military has sworn off military men. They swear up and down that once they grow up they won't want anything to do with the military anymore. However, here I am dating a man in the army. Shocker.
10. If you can't find it at the commissary the exchange has to have it. If the exchange doesn't have it there's no way you're going off base so you'll just have to do without.
11. The sound of moving trucks. We all know the clinking of metal and what the sight of 18-Wheeler's mean in the neighborhood. Summer time brings hot weather and moving trucks. Your entire neighborhood will be blocked off with trucks both coming and going.
12. You'll never understand what it's like to grow up in the same town and graduate with the same kids you went to kindergarten with. You will hardly connect with the kids who did.
13. College becomes easier because you've had to meet new people your whole life. It's not as hard when you have been taught to constantly be social. You're used to new environments and you'll shine when it comes to meeting new people.
14. Forth of July is basically your dad's national holiday and your entire house is full of patriotism that day. He looks a little something like this:
15. Deployment. This is by far my least favorite part of being a military dependent. Dad or mom comes home with the most heart breaking news. They're leaving. Soon. For a time that has potential to change at any moment. Nothing is ever concrete with deployment. You're never absolutely certain of where they're going, when they're leaving, or when they're coming home. Communication is very limited and it's hard times until they come home. This is a time where families come together and form a bond that will never come close to anything else. You have to. A part of your family is missing and you just know that you have to hold things together somehow.
