At TYGES, we honor those who have sacrificed so much for our great nation. Today we are honoring an often unspoken group of people who are so vital to our military members, and that group is military brats. Not sure what a military brat is? Please allow me to explain as I am a very proud brat myself.
We are honoring an often unspoken group of people who are so vital to our military members, and that group is military brats.
A military BRAT is someone who is a dependent of a military member. For those who grew up in a military family, this is a term of endearment and something to be incredibly proud of. Without the support of their kids, the sacrifices required of our military members would be much more difficult. So why would we highlight this subset of the population? The answer to me is simple as they have sacrificed so much for our nation that they should be honored, applauded, and highlighted today.
These young men and women are unique because they grew up in an ever-changing environment to include:
• Moving on a regular basis … typically every 3 years
• Most likely have lived overseas at some point in their lives
• Constantly saying goodbye to friends and then making new ones
• Uncertainty of where their parent is in the world or if they will ever see them again
• Never really had a “hometown” to identify with
• Very tolerant of people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures as being in the greater military family is paramount to anything else
• Genuinely understand the concepts of patriotism, honor, sacrifice, and selflessness
I absolutely loved this lifestyle as I was able to grow up mostly in Germany (well West Germany) in the 80’s and 90’s. It gave me an appreciation for diversity, sacrifice, and honor. My brother and I met some absolutely wonderful friends all over the world. We experienced many different cultures and was able to visit 13 different countries in Europe during our stay there. (Who else gets to go on spring break to islands off the coast of Spain every year?) Finally, I learned and understood respect at a deep level because of it.
If you know a military family, please tell them all “Thank You” for everything that they do in support of our nation. Memorial Day is coming up, and that’s reserved to honor those who have died in service to our country. Many military brats have experienced this loss first-hand or know someone who died in the act of service. So today, we honor them and thank each and every one of them for all that they sacrificed along the way.
If you know a military family, please tell them all “Thank You” for everything that they do in support of our nation.
As a proud military brat and veteran, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart. YOU hold a special place in my family’s life.
Written by: Joel Hall
