Being a military brat is a job in itself. Growing up in different places and different situations makes you resilient and able to adapt. Sure it has its ups and its downs, but nothing is more rewarding than saying, “Yeah my parent(s) is in the military!”

1. Moving SUCKS. Pack it up, ship it to the new house, unpack, enroll in a new school, and figure out where you fit in, find a friend group, and repeat. Moving in the military is as common as fluctuating gas prices: You think everything is good then a few days later, things change.
2. Being “the new kid.” Every time you move to a new duty station, you have to be enrolled in a brand new school with brand new teachers and brand new kids.
3. Learning how to cope with separation. The worst part of the job is the constant good byes that seem to be said. If you’re a navy brat, you know that submarine deployment means six months without communication. Hey, but at least you get presents from around the world.
4. Parental problems. Being in the military can definitely cause a riff between your parents. Married couples rarely survive the military due to the extensive absence, so learning how to deal with parental problems becomes your expertise.
5. Having an extensive knowledge about, everything. As a military brat, you become well traveled. This generally broadens your view of the world and enhances your perspective. You’re taught things from a young age about the military and the country that other kids won’t learn until their 20’s.
6. Growing up too fast. As a military product, you’re subjected to quality time with adults that you didn’t request. Dinner at the captain’s house? Looks like you’ll be spending your 7-year-old evening with the Captain, his wife, and three of his favorite crewmembers.
7. You’ve been to more balls than Cinderella. Military balls are on a whole other level of boring, but from a young age you’re bred to sit down, stay quiet, eat your tax-payer paid for meal, listen to a bunch of old men talk about the morals of the military, and then hope that mom and dad want to stay for the dancing since that’s the only fun you’re probably going to have tonight.
8. You’re disgustingly outgoing. People are surprised how outspoken you are from a very young age. Being forced to communicate with adults and lots of new people all the time makes for a very chatty young kid. You don’t understand how other kids are shy because that’s just not something you’ve ever been exposed to. No one can get you to shut up, and you’re always the life of the party.
9. You love new people. As you’ve gotten older, meeting new people is a fun hobby of yours. You fit into any social scene, any time, anywhere. You make friends easily and you know how to maintain relationships with people
10. You have friends all over the world. The BEST part about being a military brat is having connections everywhere. Whether its overseas or within the country, your friend base is huge and it’s spread out. Oh Germany? I have a friend from middle school going to college there, and all because of the military.

Obviously, the life of a military child is not glamorous. It has its ups and it definitely has its downs, but in the end we wouldn’t trade it for a different lifestyle. The military life is stressful and painful, but it is also beautiful and enriching. When you’re little its hard to see it as a good experience, but as you get older, you appreciate it and the military much more.