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Seeing as April is the month of the military child, I might as well confess: I’m a military brat, born to parents who served in the Air Force. My experience with the lifestyle was short, but I still managed to be conceived in Japan, born in California and had a PCS to Arizona.
The phrase “military brat” never bothered me. In fact, I took pride in it as an indicator of my parents’ service to our country. But that may not be the case for everyone. The word “brat” may confuse some on the surface and requires a deeper look.
Children of military members often consider the term “military brat” a badge of honor that shapes their character and ability to relate to others.
The term “military brat” originates from the British Army acronym BRAT, which stands for British Regiment Attached Traveler. Most take military brat as a title that entails hardships including (but definitely not limited to) moving around the nation or world, leaving behind friends, changing schools, enduring deployments and coping with the absence of parents.
I started asking other children of veterans how they felt about the term. It was difficult to find many “brats” who are offended by the phrase. One of my colleagues, Heather Brooks, wears the title proudly.
“I think many military children look at it the same way; it’s pretty much our version of a badge of honor,” said Heather, who’s the branch marketing manager for Veterans United Home Loans. “In fact, when meeting new people and asked to make introductions, it’s usually a something I use to describe who I am.”
Heather is not only proud of being a military child; she recognizes how much being a military brat has developed her character:
“I sometimes get the ‘Oh, you must have hated moving around’ looks and comments from people, but I actually look at my ‘brathood’ as an advantage. I can easily make friends and find comfort in new social situations. I actually welcome change and the excitement that comes with big life decisions. I was exposed at a very early age to the realities of world politics and global issues that many people don’t begin to care about until they hit voting age.”
In my research, I not only noticed pride, but also a military brat bond. MilitaryBrats.com dedicated an entire thread to “You might be a military brat if…” in which many brats reminisced about spit shines, watching jets take off, changing accents to fit new locations, being the new kid in school, K and C rations and hearing the Star-Spangled Banner before movies. It’s a unique lifestyle and only those who live it can fully understand the pride behind it.
Military brats share a bond others may not understand.
Whether it’s just understood among the military crowd, the consensus seems to be that military brat title is a lifelong badge of honor.
How does Heather see it?
“They say once a brat, always a brat. I (proudly) agree.”
Photos courtesy of USAG-Humphreys and the U.S. Army
3 Comments
I’m proud of being a brat because it means my dad and stepfather served their country for over 20 years each. I’m also proud of being a brat; we took the lifestyle in stride because we didn’t know any other life. The only thing I regret is not having friends who knew me since childhood. My oldest friends goes back to high school and I treasure the memories we’ve shared. Hooray for military families.
i loved being a military brat!although it was long ago, i will always cherish the memories !my dad was in theU.S.A.F. and i loved the traveling ,the lifestyle ,the people!wouldnt trade being brought up a military brat for nothing in the world……i will forever feel it was a great honor!and wear that badge proudly!
Amen.
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[...] a “military brat” is often a badge of pride for both children and adults. I know because, not only am I a [...]