So almost everyone has had a grandparent that was in World War II. However, some grandparents would eventually have their kids grow up and they would join the military as well. I happen to be one of those kids who grew up in a military family. Here is an article that will tell you about growing up in one.

To be honest, I’m happy to have grown up this way. It has taught me a lot about being grateful, being thankful for those who have served, learning about life with someone on duty, and most importantly respecting those who have served as well as being a helping hand. My respect for the armed services is probably at a higher level than that of most people who didn’t grow up with a military father, mother, brother, or sister. My grandfather was in the Navy, my dad in the Army, my cousin is currently in Army ROTC, and my brother is currently in Air Force boot camp.

Growing up in a military family is a rough one, but you learn to get through it. As for some of you who have your father, mother, brother and or sister there all the time, military families have to deal with the absence of one or more members overseas or on duty in the nat. guard. My dad was in the military since college when he went to the United States Military Academy in West Point NY and retired about 10 to 15 years ago. Some of the perks can be drastic, like you don’t know if they’ll come back and if they’re safe. When I came here to America, my dad was still in the Army, however he was in the Reserves and the National Guard. I remember distinctly the times when he was gone.

Like the time he was almost stationed when 9/11 occurred. My brother remembers he saw a bag on the bed of my parents’ room because my dad was almost stationed to go to New York. There was another time when my dad was in Panama for a while and it was just my mom my brother and I living at home. Also my brother, like I said, is in boot camp so he is gone at the moment. Is it hard? Yes very hard, because it’s always hard when someone you love is absent from the home scene for a while, but we’re pushing through it and we’ll see him soon.

Another part about living and growing up in a military family is the consistency of making sacrifices. When I was younger, way back in the early 2000s, my dad went to Panama at this time I was in school. We had to make sacrifices to make it through without seeing my dad for a while. The same for my brother currently. Like I said he is in boot camp and we are not able to see him for a while until he graduates. Is it hard? Yes, but we make can through.