Sometimes in life you do great things, and other times in life, you're born into great things. Being the daughter of a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran taught me a lot of important life values before my peers were taught them. From a young age, I understood the value and importance of honor and duty, honoring your friends and family, and the duty you have to yourself and the ones you love. Being from a small town, so many of my friends enlisted into different military branches, and so many of my friends are dating soldiers, and it just had me thinking about the different things military brats have in common. There is definitely a bigger picture to it, but you are born into an allegiance, something only certain people will understand and some of the more trivial things are the butt of every inner-circle army brat joke/debate.
1. When people ask you where you're from, it's easier just to say what branch of military you're affiliated with.
2. You and your friends play the “My Mom/Dad is a higher rank than yours," game.
Seriously, it can get vicious.
3. Veteran's Day is an actual holiday.
It's not just a day we get school off, it's a day where you have to call everyone in your family and wish them a Happy Veteran's Day.
4. When girls complain about dating a soldier, it's seriously a friendship ender.
Like excuse me, I know you went the three months that he was in basic training not talking to him, but some people go 6+ months not seeing one of their parents. The grass is always greener.
5. When you were a kid, you tried on your Dad or Mom's uniform.
As if it were the standard dress/heels/lipstick routine.
Being a military brat is one of the best things. It teaches you a lot, and gives you a lot of great memories. With the political issues and debates that happen in this day and age, having military pride can get harder and harder, but it's a brotherhood, so no matter if you're a soldier, the kid of one, the wife of one, there is always a group of people that have your back and understand you. Perks of the U.S. military I guess.