The Life of a Military Child
A biography
The life of a Military Child is a very interesting life to live. It opens you up to many new experiences and life styles that a lot of people do not have the chance to experience for themselves. Being a Military child also teaches people some well needed attributes that are need for adulthood. So, what is my life as a military child, and how did get me to where I am today. What did I learn from the military?
I was born on July 30th ,1998 on the small Micronesian island of Guam. On this day I was introduced to the military lifestyle with both of my parents being in the Navy at the time. Right after I was born my Mom would get out of the Navy to have more time with me and my brother. Two months later we would depart from Guam because my Dad got new orders, we would get stationed in Groton, Connecticut. We lived in Groton for three years. During those three years I experienced life without my Dad. During this time, I did not notice that he was gone because it was still very early in my life. So, after three years in Groton we moved to Kingsland, Georgia in November 2001. We moved to Georgia due to my Dad getting orders to Kings Bay Submarine Base. My family would stay in Kingsland while my Dad traveled to other duty stations nearby, but during this time he was also on a ship out of Jacksonville, Florida. While my Dad was on the ship he would go on many deployments. While he was on these deployments, I started to realize that I did not have my dad around all the time like my other peers. The only way that I was able to talk to my dad most of the time was through video chats on Skype. So, every time he was home, I would soak up as much time as I could with him. The hardest part of my life as a Military child came in 2010. That year my Dad was sent off to Afghanistan. During this time, I went through a bad stage of depression, Also, the only way for me to know if my Dad was ok was when he would post on Facebook. After the short stint in Afghanistan my Dad would be home for a few years, but he commuted every week to his duty station in South Carolina. Then in 2014 my Dad would officially retire after serving 20 years.
What did I learn from the military lifestyle? While growing up the military taught me so much. First it taught me how to deal with loss. With my Dad being gone all the time it taught me that loss is ok, and sometimes that person will comeback. The military life also taught me how to be humble. Growing up in a military family is very difficult because we are always not whole. It showed me how to be grateful for the things that I have and try not to show it off to other people. Also, being humble showed me that people are on the same level that I am, and that taught me to treat people like how I wanted to be treated. Also, the military taught me determination. It taught me to never give up, and to push myself to my limits. The military also taught me responsibility. Being a military child, you had to sometimes provide for your siblings while your mom was working and your dad was out to sea, or on tour in a foreign country. So, you had to make sure you were fed, in bed on time, and awake on time to make it to school on time. Integrity was another aspect of the military that was instilled in me. In the military everyone is integral to the success of the command and yourself as an individual. So being honest and doing the right thing was a big part of my life. It shows that I can be trusted in difficult situations when they arise. So, the military taught me so much, and I would not change what I have learned for the world.
So how did the military get me to where I am today? Today I am at the university of my dreams, the University of Georgia. The military also allowed me meet some of the nicest people. It allowed me to connect with people with different backgrounds and welcome them into my life as close friends. The military helped me excel in my academics, and it has open doors to many opportunities for myself. The military has played a vital role in my life, and I thank my Dad everyday for what he has taught me while he served.
