I remember being five years old in the back of a minivan on my way across the country to start life in a new place for the first time. I didn’t really understand much about it other than that I wouldn’t be able to see Grandma and Grandpa for a long time. And I would have a new house because my dad had just joined the United States Army. I didn’t know then that this was just the beginning of a very long cycle of packing and unpacking to move my life all over the country. A cycle that I now don’t ever want to stop.

Talking to most adults and kids that haven’t really had much experience with the military, or what it means to have family in the military, it’s clear that there’s a definite expectation as to what it must be like to have grown up with a parent in the military.

“That must be rough,” they say. “Do you ever wish you could just stay in one place?”

In thinking about how to better show the world exactly how most of us military kids feel about our complicated lives, I’ve asked some of the people my paths have crossed with over the years because of our parent’s service some questions about the matter. To give you an idea, all of us have answered very similarly.

Yes, growing up in an environment that could turn upside down literally any day is rough. Yes, it’s hard having to pick up and start over with new friends, a new place and a new house while always wondering when the moments will become last memories. Yes, it’s frustrating to have to figure out if your new school is behind or ahead of your old school and to figure out how to transfer credits.

No, it’s not fun knowing that your mom or dad is out somewhere risking their life fighting a battle that you don’t understand so that you can live a life of choice and opportunity. Nor is it fun knowing that, any day, your parent could be called to join that battle somewhere far from your safe home. We, as the children of the United States Military, have had to stare down brokenness, PTSD, depression, death, loss and a general sense of constant uncertainty in the face. We’ve learned that everything, even life itself, is a very temporary thing.

It’s not easy by any means, but we’ve learned to be strong.

By dealing with all of these things from a young age, we’ve also been forced to learn valuable skills much earlier in life. For example–and this is a given– we have learned how to pack effectively. That sounds silly, but it sure has come in handy in preparing for vacations and, especially, the move to my college dorms. Growing up with such a rapidly changing lifestyle definitely has an impact on overall flexibility now. Having to move so much keeps you from being able to settle into a rut and keeps you constantly bracing for change. While that change wasn’t so natural growing up, it’s definitely made the transition to college a lot easier to handle, and it will make things more manageable in the future.

Moving around a lot and being around soldiers throughout childhood also plays a huge part in helping social skills develop stronger and earlier, as well. Having to make new friends on a semi-regular basis forces us to learn how to make connections with people and get along with people we wouldn’t normally interact with. Also, respect is demanded in the military, as it is from child to parent. A huge emphasis is placed on respecting authority in military families, which is a huge benefit going into the workforce alone. Moving around so much also gives us a better grasp on geography and different cultures, even here in the Unites States.

Having grown up in that world has changed the way I see my future and this country. I now understand the sacrifice that soldiers and their families make to protect this country and he sacrifice my dad and my family made for this country. I would make the same sacrifice if it were an option. Many of us would. Children of military families have a unique and personal sense of patriotism that shows itself in the way we vote, the way we live and the way we will teach our children. Growing up moving so frequently will also affect my future in that I am not afraid to start over somewhere new. In fact, I’ve learned to love it. I look forward to the places that life will take me in the future.

One of the questions that I asked when I sent out my survey was, “if you were given the option, would you change the fact that you grew up in a military family?” I didn’t get a single person respond with a “Yes, I would change things.”

While we have had to deal with a lot growing up, and some situations were definitely not ideal by any means, we wouldn’t take it back for anything. We love who we are and what we can bring to the table because of our upbringing, and we hope that you will see that the sacrifices made have been so worth it.