"How long will he be gone this time?" This is a question I grew up asking. My dad was a fighter pilot in the Airforce. With the military come deployment and time away from home and your family. Needless to say, it was no doubt a struggle. There was constant worry of where my dad would be sent next, how long he would be gone, and the back of the head worry of would he make it back to me.

Growing up as a daughter of a military man had a great impact on my life and I wouldn't change it for the world. One interesting perk of being a part of this military life was moving around. I had to learn how to make new friends regularly. Fortunately, I grew up with two older sisters, so when I felt shut out by society, I had my best friends for sisters.

The sacrifices made in my social life and in my family dynamic are overlooked by society. Sometimes people forget that the veteran is not the only one who has made sacrifices. The spouses and children sacrificed a lot for their country as well.

In some families, loved ones lay down their lives for a country they love. Unfortunately, that us a sacrifice that takes a toll on much more than that individual. None the less it is an act of honor that I have come to understand throughout my years of growing up with a military background.