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| The
Ups and Downs of Being a 'Military Brat' |
Posted:
02.23.04
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Aldrin Muya, a junior at Shoemaker High School outside Fort Hood, Tx. shares
his pride in being part of a military family. | |
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 Every
day when I wake up in the morning and go to school, it gives me great honor to
know that I am going to school with not just ordinary kids, but unique kids. They
may look like the average schoolgirl or schoolboy, but there is something special
about them - they are military brats.
Some people may think military brats
are treated better just because they have a parent in the armed services. This
stereotype is incorrect. There are no mints on our pillows. | |
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| Pros
and cons | |
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Being a military brat carries with it special burdens and challenges: moving
from place to place, rarely having time to build strong friendships and relationships,
switching schools, and never really having a place to call home. But there
are also so many good things about having parents in the military. Military brats
have an opportunity to live in many places. Some of my classmates have had the
opportunity to live in South Korea, Germany, Japan and a plethora of other places.
Military brats meet many interesting people around the world. Although they may
not have the opportunity to build a strong relationship or friendship, the bond
remains between them. Moreover, they'll never know, one day they might meet each
other once again. And though this kind of life may seem bad or unreal,
being a military brat also gives you the ultimate pride in knowing that your parent/s
are serving for a good cause - to assure the safety of others and to fight for
freedom. | |
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| My
own experience | |
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I must confess that I too am a military brat. I have had to move to many places
such as Heidelberg, Germany, Fort Knox, Kentucky, as well as where I live now,
Killeen-Fort Hood, Texas. I have also had to go to many schools: for my first
grade alone I went to a total of five elementary schools. My dad and I
also lost some quality "father-son time" - he missed several of my birthdays,
my first day at school and the day I lost my first tooth, all because he was on
active-duty. These were just some of the benefits and rewards that I have experienced
and enjoyed (notice sarcasm). Although my life of being a military brat
may seem rough and rocky, it's comforting to know that the other military brats
around me may have experienced the same things. | |
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| The
Fort Hood family | |
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Now, I live next to Fort Hood, the largest military base on the planet; the
place where over 55,000 soldiers work, train and live. I see them everywhere -
from the mall to the bank, the grocery store to the fast food joint. I
guess I can say that we all are one big happy family of military people - a family
that when a crisis occurs comes together to help those affected. When Operation
Iraqi Freedom called for the troops of Fort Hood to serve, many were impacted,
especially many of my classmates at school whose parents were going to Iraq. Together
with the counselors, we all helped one another get through their "temporary
losses." As the quote says, "All for one and one for all." Even
with all the challenges, I am proud to live in a town heavily influenced by the
military and go to a school where military brats, like me, learn and grow. I am
not sure where or how my future will take me, but I might consider joining the
military one day. Maybe I will get privileges for being a military brat. --
Aldrin Muya is a junior at Shoemaker High School in Killeen, Texas | |
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