From Moving to Memories: Life as a Military Brat
David Nho, United States Army (Dependent)
From Moving to Memories: Life as a Military Brat My life as a "military brat" has been challenging but also rewarding. My parents joined the Army when I was a child so I was able to experience living in several different states; I now have a good understanding of what life is like in nearly all parts of America—the west coast, east coast, south, and midwest. I despised moving from place to place because it was difficult, however, I now understand and appreciate how those difficulties have shaped me into who I am today. As a dependent, my family and I were able to travel to different parts of the world which is an opportunity that I often overlook. Living in different parts of the world exposed me to cultures and people I would have never had the opportunity to meet otherwise. It definitely helped expand my empathy for people of all different walks of life.
Playing sports with friends is definitely a core memory from my childhood. From elementary through high school, I was always switching between sports because each school had a different one that was popular. Due to these circumstances, I grew a passion for sports and joined multiple clubs and gyms. Although this led me to not be extremely skilled in one single sport, I have a pretty decent performance in a broader range of sports. Looking back, I feel I had a lot more fun this way as a child.
I can still recall when my soccer club in Korea had our first tournament. One of the most memorable moments of my life. I got to compete with many teams and every match was exhilarating. I remember spending time with my teammates on the long bus rides, laughing at jokes and having fun even if we didn't get first place. I was finally content with my new life, However, all good things must come to an end for military brats. Moving around so often means that friends will come and go every couple years. I hated that I had to leave Korea and my soccer club.
When I moved, I struggled to break out of my shell and talk to people because it felt like I was starting a new life from scratch. It didn't help that I got anxious whenever I walked into a new school, especially if it was during the middle of the school year. Nonetheless, there was always at least one person who would come up and make a sincere effort in making sure I felt welcomed. This is the tremendous upside to attending public schools on base—many students knew what it was like to be the new kid at school, most likely more than a couple times. It definitely made my transition to an unfamiliar area so much easier and makes it possible to look back at those memories with fondness. Even though I would get sad that I left my friends, I am glad that I was given the chance to meet them at all.
I think the most influential way in which being an Army kid has changed the path of my life was being away from my parents as a child. I was thankfully able to be with them most of the time, but I remember how difficult it was to be apart during their basic training and other trainings. I’m very thankful for my grandparents and other relatives who graciously offered to look after my sister and I. It really does take a village to raise a child. I imagine it was difficult for my parents as well to be apart from their children, knowing that their partner has to look after them all the while working a full-time job.
Having both parents be active duty service members was hard to say the least. Looking back at all the sacrifices they made in order to create better opportunities for their children makes me very grateful and proud. I can’t imagine how different my life or my identity would be without the military. I’m glad I had all of these different and vast experiences to shape me into the person I am today. Exposing myself to unfamiliar surroundings has improved my social skills and has helped me adapt to the significant changes in my life. I was very introverted the first time my parents got stationed but as time progressed I became more outgoing and making new friends became easier. If there’s one thing that I learned, it’s that you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
