Month of the Military Child

“Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.”  

— Anonymous

April is the Month of the Military Child.

It's an opportunity to celebrate military families specifically the children who also serve alongside our Veterans. 

The month of recognition was established in 1986 by then  Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger.

I know this subject well as I grew up being affectionately called a "Navy Brat," and we raised three of our own while serving in uniform.

My first military duty station was at age 9 or 10 when we moved from the bustling city of London, England to the cobblestones of a small fishing village called Rota in Southern Spain. 

My British mother had recently re-married a US Navy Sailor and when she found out the new American school system took three months off during the summer, she insisted that I keep a journal so I wouldn't "forget how to read and write."

Looking back on this journal reminds me of the resiliency it took for a nine year to endure the transitions that all military brats have to endure when they grow up in a military home.  

Amanda Huffman, who hosts a podcast called "Women of the Military" recently interviewed me to discuss this often overlooked community of children.  Amanda's other interviews with Military Women can be found on her website: https://www.airmantomom.com/

Read last year's blog post to see more excerpts of my childhood journal or my discussion about Third Culture Kids.