Growing up having a parent that was or is in the military is tough. Your day starts before the sun comes up, your parents ask for every detail of every plan you make with friends, and you're the first one to show up to pretty much everything. It's a whole other world. You know terminology no one else has ever heard of and the family clock works on 24 hours, not 12. Everything is different, but in some cases, it's better. Even after your parents get out, the military values you grow up learning stay with you and it's great.
Here are 20 things you know to be true if you grew up as a military brat:
1. Being 10 minutes early to something means you're late.
2. Anyone older than you is addressed as "ma'am" or "sir."
3. Pretty much all military movies are ruined for you because they're so inaccurate.
4. When you get in trouble in school, you knew your parents' are going to be called into their commanding officer's office.
5. The phrases "0-dark-30" and "1400 hours" are commonly used.
6. You always have MRE's laying around.
7. You have no idea what a grocery store is.
8. When people ask you where you're from you don't even know how to respond.
9. Every time you leave to go somewhere with your parents they say "get your gear" and "move out."
10. You use the phonetic alphabet.
11. Lots and lots of push-ups.
12. You've learned all the words to a hilarious, and sometimes inappropriate cadence call.
Some Army Running Cadences....