"Military brat" is used to describe a child who grows up or grew up with one or both parents in the Military. Some might see it as an insult, to be called a brat. But us Military kids take the nickname with pride, for we know that we are some of the toughest kids out there. In fact, being a "Military brat" is like being in a club and every member in this club knows these 22 things all too well.
1. You went to a new school every two to three years.
Two elementary schools, three junior high schools and two high schools all in the span of 14 years.
2. Your passport is halfway filled by the time you're ten years old.
Japan, Guam, Italy, London, Germany- you name it and there's a stamp for it somewhere deep on your passport pages.
3. When someone asks where you're from, you don't know how to respond.
"Well I was born in...then we moved to...but I technically grew up in....and now I live here."
4. Most of your friends are fellow Military brats.
5. "Yes I went to school on base, no it wasn't Military school."
6. The excitement of getting your I.D when you turn 10.
Now I can go to the pool, use the rec center, buy things at the exchange...LOOK AT MY PICTURE ISN'T IT GREAT?!
7. And the panic after you turn 20 years old and realize you only have one more year left of base privileges.
What am I going to do? How will I survive without the discounts? Are you sure you need to take it away? Growing up was a mistake.
8. Commissary trips.
There was always a right and wrong time to go to the commissary. The right time was when your parents went without you. The wrong time was the early morning rush of elderly people and whenever your mom was angry at you. Because if she's angry at you, she'll make you walk up and down each aisle even if you don't need to.
9. The exchange > every other retail store.
Discounts. Discounts EVERYWHERE.
10. Show and Tell = MRE's and your parents.
Bringing one of the two items made you the most popular kid in class (if you went to school off base) and you actually somewhat enjoyed eating the brown packaged foods...even though you didn't want to admit it.
11. You found older siblings in your parents Military friends.
12. If you're not 15 minutes early, then you're late.
Wherever you and your parents went, you were always 15 minutes early. Not 25, not 20 and definitely nothing after 10- it was always 15...the golden time.
13. "Your mom/dad/parents scare me."
Don't let the uniform fool you, they're really not that bad I swear.
14. Your first sports team was through an on base rec league.
And probably every other sports team after that. You also most likely played different sports with the same group of kids.
15. If you don't say "Sir" or "Ma'am," you're in deep trouble.
It's one of the most important rules you were taught growing up and the moment you don't refer to someone older than you as 'Sir' or 'Ma'am'...then you better start running.
16. "We're going to be here until you graduate."
17. You learned Military time at a young age.
Okay mom and dad I've got a playdate with Caitlin at 1430, a doctors appointment at 1630, and please don't forget to pick me up from school again...1400 SHARP!
18. Your birthday parties were always at the base pool or bowling alley...and so were the ones you attended.
How else do you think I gained those bowling skills over the course of the years? And the high dive? Psh, I crossed that off my list when I was four.
19. There were always 3 of your parents single co-workers at your house during the holidays.
Because no one should be in the barracks on holidays. And if they can't be with their family, they might as well be with their friends.
20. You knew the right way to clean your room by the time you were ten years old.
If everything wasn't up to par, then "Hurricane Gunny" would come through and check. Clothes not folded correctly? The drawer was dumped out and you had to start over again.
21. Whenever you hear the beginning of taps, you drop everything and search for the flag.
I mean it's practically an automatic response by now.
22. And though it was tough, you would never trade your childhood for the world.
Because you've gotten the opportunities to do a lot of things that normal kids wouldn't get to do and this lifestyle has shaped you into who you are today and instilled great values into you.
