By Davis Faggard
Patch Middle School, 6th Grade
I think that being a military child can be hard at times, having to move away from everything you know, but it is an honor to have a parent whose job is to do a service to our country, protecting it in many ways.
Some of the best times I have had as a military child were the times when my family and I get to move to and visit places that most people only dream of going to. I live in Europe for my Dad’s Air Force assignment, and my family gets to travel to amazing places since the places are so close.
Also, I think it is great to have a parent who is in the military because they are heroes and heroines to our country. Another good thing about being a military child is that you get to meet new people when you move. This is good if you want to change things up a bit.
Some of the disadvantages of being a military child are that you have to move away from your friends, school, and house. Usually, right as you are getting used to your living assignment, you have to move away from it all. It sometimes is hard to make new friends if your old ones were so special to you. If you are unfamiliar to a new house, it can take a while before it feels like home. It is also difficult to go to a new school. New teachers, new schedule, new peers!
Another difficulty: deployments and TDY’s (temporary duty). When a family member in the military gets deployed for a long period of time, it’s an important job, but you can never get back the lost time with them, as they may have missed important events in your life. It is also difficult living away from your family, grandparents, and cousins, since when you live far away from them, it is extremely difficult to be able to visit them and generally see them in person. I know this from experience. I live in Germany, so my relatives are an entire ocean apart from me. I had a new baby cousin born recently, but I won’t be able to see her until I move back to the USA.
I know that I’m making it sound like such a hard life, but overall, I like being a military child. Traveling and trying new experiences with your family, like new food or new towns, bonds your family closer together.
In conclusion I think that being a military child can be a bumpy experience, but it really strengthens the love between the people you meet and it can improve your life, and your family’s lives along the way. Just by meeting new people and visiting new places, you improve your overall happiness, leading to a bright future.
Editor’s note: Essays from students across the Stuttgart military community are submitted to the School Liaison Office each March and published throughout the month of April on The Citizen, at the Panzer Main Exchange and read aloud on AFN Stuttgart radio to celebrate our military children in Stuttgart.