*** Attention: Military Brats *** Updated 11/5/11

OMG! I thought I moved a lot! You take the prize! What wonderful experiences you must have had...and many more to come. As we know, traveling is an education....good for you!
Happy trails!

I love this thread. We are a special bunch.

I wonder if that is what we flew home on from Japan. There were seats for about twelve people and the rest was cargo.

Last Edited by A Friend on 07/01/2011 12:38 AM

I wonder if you can give her balance now that you have started over? Hopefully now you can give her stability through her teen years.

I wonder if it had been brought to my attention when I was 13 that the way I had been raised would not create lasting friendships; that I could have created a different life thereafter. Perhaps you can encourage her to keep in contact before she forms long lasting patterns of keeping her distance from others. It is a survival mechanism because you just don't want to loose anymore friends.

That is so cool that we shared the same experience! I wonder if it was the same guy serving boxes (hehe) I flew home in '71. I still remember the man's face. He was a great guy with a huge mustache.

You know, the one thing I absolutely LOVED about growing up as a brat was all the wonderful people.

It is an education! Thanks!

Army - Air Force - Navy - Marines

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Brats



Last Edited by A Friend on 11/05/2011 11:57 AM

When I read the book, cited in the wiki piece: "Mary Edwards Wertsch launched the movement for military brat cultural identity" with her book Military Brats: Legacies of Childhood inside the Fortress.[93]" it was a real eye opener on many levels. I have given away so many copies of this book to other military brats, some of whom told me it changed their lives. So, to all of you on this thread-if you can find a copy-it think it is out of print now, you should definitely buy and read it!

I'm nearing retirement now, from a job that requires extensive short notice travel, I've lived in hotels almost exclusively for the last 3 years-no problem. I enjoy friends but don't keep in touch once I've moved on or changed jobs. In fact, it doesn't occur to me that people will remember me after I'm gone, even though I remember them. If I travel to a town where I have an former friend, I never call them. My mother who grew up in a small town keeps in touch with anyone she has ever known, even from base to base, and always gets in touch if she is in their area. My non military brat daughter does the same. Both see this as an odd behavior I have. But-when Dad's duty station changed, we moved on and never saw our friends again. To hang on, or think we would be reunited would have been more painful then just cutting it off and going on. I'm not unhappy I like change and problem solving and travel-typical M. Brat!!! Its just different than the norm. Wish we could have "Brat Town" with young and old brats. People we could relate to.

Ha, Ha-I always wanted to retire in Leisure World. I just recently realized its because they have a front gate with guard you show ID to, and a militantly manicured landscaping. Even the "housing" is slightly military base like.:-)

lots of info

some of this fits with JW brats

kids raised in jehoover witlesses and free as adults

i have moved countless times over many years

my parents started the moving and my dad was air force in the 60's....

Yes Im working on it. Still its hard for her to live in a "civilians world." I never moved until I got married. My exhusband and I eloped when I was 20 years old (he was 34) and I lived in the same house my entire life from birth until I eloped and then I moved all over the place. She and I had totally opposite upbringings. There are many positives to being a military brat. She has traveled more than most adults will in a lifetime. The downside is she keeps her distance. The divorce hasnt even been final for a year yet so we are just adjusting to this new life. I think she will be fine. My goal is to provide her with a home where she can put down some roots. Ironically most of my friends are from my childhood and Im 33. I went to kindergarten with the same kids I graduated high school with. I am slowly reconnecting with some of those people and I think them along with their children will help her put down some roots.

I need this shirt.

I read your post and kind of freaked out, in a good way. Unless there are places called Leisure World in more than one place you must live where I have lived for many years. I spent years in Laguna Beach. Of course I had to move but I stayed in the general area. It was really great to read your post. Thank you.

Marine brat.

Last Edited by N34444 on 11/05/2011 06:47 PM

I actually signed up to be in the Navy and my boss talked me out of it. I am very sorry that I didn't follow through. One of those regrets we live with I suppose.

I get seasick...

Haha... I went on a cruise and thought it was the best vacation EVER. Those around me did get sea sick as we had rough weather but I was fine. Again, kicking myself for missing an awesome opportunity.

The past is past.

Lets start a group now. There are so many on here who are looking to bug out when tshtf. I would not call it a para-military group but we could form a Brat group. Of course it would require traveling.

Air Force brat here. Both my sister and I carried on the family tradition with service of our own. Army for myself, Navy for her. I now work in the oil industry and she works for the FBI.

I can't say that I've ever felt that I truly fit in with any group or clique, but I'm perfectly happy with that. I was taught to be self sufficient in my childhood as my Dad was a high ranker and we always lived on the foreign economy.

I was never good in relationships either, but have found a wonderful woman, originally from South Africa, who moved around all of her life because her father was a Dow Chemical engineer who oversaw the start-ups of various plants all around the world.

The characteristics that both of us developed through the childhoods we lived has made for the best relationship I have ever had. I never thought it was possible to be able to truly connect with someone like we have.

You both sound perfect for one another. Your backgrounds serve you well both in your professions and your personal lives, kudos to you both and wishes for a long and happy relationship.

Military brat link was an interesting read. I never thought to look that up. I always thought of myself as different. That explained a lot.

I grew up as a military brat, and never knew of any home for long... longest i stayed was highschool once for 5 years.. today, ironically, i'm a tradesperson, and i live out of a suitcase, working for big oil...

I'd personally never join the military... my father is still injured and disabled from his experiences... he worked in northern africa for years and years, along with israel and egypt as a peacekeeper, working on the logistical tail end of things. apparently most of what he did for the UN got coopted by warlords and sold for weapons....

nothing much to plan your life around to be sure...

Yes I lived in Laguna Beach and South OC for many years.

It made me feel better to know that even though I haven't met many military brats, we all have a common bond. Even though I move way too much I know there's lots more of you around too. I sincerely was hoping to figure out a way to take advantage of that fact and create something worthwhile.

Thank you for your perspective. It sure does lessen my regret.

I'm in Ohio now and already planning my next move, hopefully to a warmer climate!

I thought about being a military brat today for the first time.. never have slowed down enough to bother....

Well it makes for distinterested friends.. a lot of people I think have perhaps been offended at me about it... I mean I care about people deeply, but I never seem to be able to attach any permanent value to being around anyone... I think people find that threatening perhaps and mistrustful.. Not sure

and i imagine that the odd reader think i'm just the average guy, for saying this.. well i'm a woman...

i think maybe a friend or two of mine recently deserted me over this.. odd that you brought it up... i cam back from working far away on a flight, and i think i may have suggested a few future ambitions of mine that they might have felt alienated about... i guess they may have felt threatened.. not sure...

i just know that they have disappeared, and that for the few months i'm actually in town, i might as well still be "far away"

i feel at home with myself though, and i've often flown the odd friend around who could not afford to, to come by and visit some exciting places... so i guess in a lot of ways, maybe being a "hometown person" is just self-righteous.

no clue.. i just know that I have to earn a living and that i've never had the ability to think small enough that i had to conform to the shape of a small town...

Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell & Dan Peek of the famous Band "AMERICA"
were brats

[link to en.wikipedia.org]

Your post is very interesting and has brought up some things I've dealt with too.

I asked a friend of mine, "I know there is something which is different about me that many people pick up on. There is something which keeps them detached. What do you think it is about me?" She replied that it is because I am a gypsy.

That resonated deeply with me. I've since been trying to engage on a deeper level and initiate more contact.

Thanks for the post. It added much to the thread.

Very cool information... Thank you. I love their music and now understand more why it resonated.

Last Edited by A Friend on 11/05/2011 09:37 PM