So, for those of you who do not know, a Military Brat
is the child of a Military serviceman or woman. I am a proud Navy Brat. If I could
go back to my childhood I would not change a thing. I was born on a Military
Base in Jacksonville, Florida. I have lived in another country, and traveled to
many states.
I wanted to share with you all a few of the things I have
found beneficial from being a Brat.
1. Respect
for others
This may seem cliché, but it has
really taught me to be respectful to other people, especially for those in the
Military. These people have been through so much in their lives and put their
lives out there for our safety. I honestly thank a veteran or active service
member every chance I get because you do not know the last time someone thanked
them and how much it means to them. I come from a line of Military people so it
is something that I feel is ingrained into me, and I respect what those who
serve do for everyone else.
2. Desire
to travel
Like I mentioned above I was born in
Jacksonville, Florida. I have also lived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Now I was a
baby when this happened but I do remember a few things; the warm weather,
swimming on Christmas, and the crabs that seemed to be everywhere. Other places
I have lived include Norfolk, Virginia and somewhere in Maryland. This has
given me the urge to always want to be on the go, travel, and explore new
things. You learn that there are so many more things out there to experience
than if you stayed in one place you whole life. (I have been to many more
places but there are just too many to list.)
3. Lifelong
memories
Even though my father retired from
the U.S. Navy back in 2001 and I was only four years old I remember some of the
things like they happened yesterday. Like living in Cuba, I remember little
things like swimming in the ocean, the animals that you will not encounter in
Ohio, and just the calmness from the fresh air. One event I do not remember but
do remember the stories about would be the hurricane that I was told I slept
through. I also remember the day my father retired. There is no other experience
like walking onto the massive aircraft carrier as a four-year-old and the pride
and joy that came from that moment of my father serving our country but also
the feeling that I will have my dad at home and not off traveling the world.
There are so many more benefits to
being a Brat. I just wanted to give you all a little insight into some of my
life and what it means to me to be able to have had some of the experiences I have
had in my life. One thing I do ask of you all is when you see a veteran or
service member, please thank them. I guarantee it will make their day so much
better!
Thank you for your families sacrifice and your father's service. I myself had family members who served and I agree, they should be thanked any chance you get. It sounds like you gained a lot of experience and fun memories from your father. This was a really interesting article, loved the pictures and respect you and your family. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your family and their services. It makes me happy to know that you found the benefits of being a military brat. I'm very jealous of how much traveling you've been able to do. I've been to about 26 different states and 3 different countries, but I've never been able to be in one spot for a long time. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I just want to say thanks for everything that your family has done for this country. I have not had anyone in my family serve in the Navy, but I have had friends that have recently joined the Army. It must have been an amazing experience living in Cuba. The only time I have left this country was to visit my family in Greece, but I told my mom when we left, that it was a great experience living in a different world for six weeks. I could not imagine what it felt like to actually live in a different country.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not have any family member that has served in the military so I am thankful for men such as your father who has served to protect all of us at home. Furthermore, respect is something that I value. Growing up it was the little thing such as, saying please and thank you and not interrupting someone in the middle of a conversation. It is crazy to think that some parents no longer teach their kids these small gestures and I truly believe lack of respect in our world is the root of so many issues. Thanks for the great read!
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