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| *From USAF Official Facebook Page |
I'm a military brat, and proud of it.
Now that phrase may have you assuming that I’m a bratty military kid, but let me stop you and explain what “military brat” actually means.
Most believe the term “military brat” was coined all the way back during the British Empire, when the british soldiers were expected to fend for themselves during times of war. To help with that expectation, many of the soldiers would bring their families to cook and wash for them. These civilian families were labeled Military “British Regiment Attached Travelers,” and thus, Military BRATs. The term evolved through the years, and now simply refers to the children of active duty Military members.
Now, everyone knows that living in a military family makes life a little bit different than most Americans, but not very many actually know what everyday life is like.
Today, I’d love to introduce you to a just few things that we go through during our lives, and perhaps you’ll get somewhat of a picture of what it’s like.
The Three Aspects of Brat Life
If you live anywhere near a military base, you are almost certain to see quite a few uniforms around, but as a military brat - uniforms are all you see! In fact, its rare to see anyone in a suit at all. And it’s not uncommon for us to be able to recognize what branch each member is a part of, simply by studying the type of uniform.
2. The BX/PX and Commissary
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| *From USAF Official Facebook Page |
When your parents go to the store for groceries or supplies, they might frequent a grocery store or mall. But as a military brat, we have BXes and Commissaries.
The BX (or PX) stands for Base (or Post) Exchange - these offer basic home supplies, electronics, movies, games, clothing, etc. They’re basically our go-to stores for anything besides food.
And then the commissary is our food store. They offer a wide variety of foods, from different cultures to different brands. They offer pretty much everything.
3. It’s a Small World
One of the most interesting aspects to being in the military is how small it makes the world. My family moved almost every two years of my life, and in each of these places we meet a whole new set of people. But the thing is - when we move so often, it’s not uncommon to run into people that you’ve been stationed with in the past. There’s a sense of “Don’t worry, we’ll see you again,” every time we move away from friends.
So there’s three little aspects of being a military brat.
They don’t cover everything, but hopefully they give you a taste of what we experience everyday.
It’s just another day in the life of a military kid.
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| *From USAF Official Facebook Page |
