Military Brat
Korinda Rehling-Rodriguez
ENG 098R 1053
FINAL DRAFT
Military Child: ‘Brat’
Pure hell took its course on me as a young innocent girl. Being a military brat definitely impacted my life in many challenging ways. The term military brat is usually misunderstood by non-military population. A military brat is a child from a parent who is in the military. My mother was a commanding officer which made me and my siblings labeled “military brat” The word brat (by itself) may seem negative. However, we were taught that its not an insult but actually a term of endearment and respect. Of course the military has a lot of traveling, family orientated, many free services, and good food. Being a military brat was not all its hyped up to be. As a little girl growing up I never had a place to truly call home. Living the lifestyle as a military brat my mother frequently transferred or was given new assignments. Our locations verified from state to state and we always ended up on a military base. Never staying in a place for more than one to two years it was like being passed around like a damn basketball. At times I got used to my mother’s absence when she received her assignments. It was a breath of fresh air when she wasn’t around. It felt like a taste of bliss when I didn’t have to hear her constant nagging or screaming. All of us children were able to feel free for the time she was gone. As the time came near for her return it felt as if we walked on egg shells due to her unpredictable mood swings.
It’s a shame that I didn’t have a choice to be a part of the military culture. Being born into a family that was already actively enrolled was no fair chance for me to have a civilian life experience. On base they preach over and over to us about values and patriotism. What fucking values, is all I say to myself. The military law required commanding officers and those in authority to demonstrate “The
ENG 098R 1053
FINAL DRAFT
Military Child: ‘Brat’
Pure hell took its course on me as a young innocent girl. Being a military brat definitely impacted my life in many challenging ways. The term military brat is usually misunderstood by non-military population. A military brat is a child from a parent who is in the military. My mother was a commanding officer which made me and my siblings labeled “military brat” The word brat (by itself) may seem negative. However, we were taught that its not an insult but actually a term of endearment and respect. Of course the military has a lot of traveling, family orientated, many free services, and good food. Being a military brat was not all its hyped up to be. As a little girl growing up I never had a place to truly call home. Living the lifestyle as a military brat my mother frequently transferred or was given new assignments. Our locations verified from state to state and we always ended up on a military base. Never staying in a place for more than one to two years it was like being passed around like a damn basketball. At times I got used to my mother’s absence when she received her assignments. It was a breath of fresh air when she wasn’t around. It felt like a taste of bliss when I didn’t have to hear her constant nagging or screaming. All of us children were able to feel free for the time she was gone. As the time came near for her return it felt as if we walked on egg shells due to her unpredictable mood swings.
It’s a shame that I didn’t have a choice to be a part of the military culture. Being born into a family that was already actively enrolled was no fair chance for me to have a civilian life experience. On base they preach over and over to us about values and patriotism. What fucking values, is all I say to myself. The military law required commanding officers and those in authority to demonstrate “The