For all of my wonderful military brats out there. Enjoy. P.S. I do not own this song. This fantastic rendition of "The Armed Services Medley" was done by the US Coast Guard Band.
You know your a military brat when get very upset when people (outside of the military community)don't take Veterans day and Memorial day etc seriously......and you can sing Anchors Away.
You never lose the sense of wanderlust and I am 61 years old. I went to at least 8 schools before I was ten years old. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
Love you Bearcat. You nailed it. I am retired USNavy but still a USMC brat from the first seventeen years of my life. Didn't we grow up in incredible safety on those military bases? They tore down our old house at Naval Weapons Station Fallbrook, CA recently. So sad. Now at 68 I look back fondly on those years with my four brothers and sisters. Still laughing at what you said. Bob
I have a "birth" certificate from 1961 from the commander of the 101st ABN stating that I am an official Army Brat...and I had to register for the newly reinstated Selective Service by Jimmy Carter on the day that my father retired from the Army after 21 years...and yes, everything this young lady said has been true all my life...and she left off if you've ever stood at attention at 1700 hours during "Retreat" on base...
BearKat - TY ! This was great and sure hits home. Dad didn't retire until I was a year out of HS so I was 'in' for 19 years. You did leave out something about always living in the flight pattern though. Love ya !
Was a M.Brat in the 80s/90s..but once a "Military Brat,always a Military Brat",-trust me!! That question: "Where are you from?",will ALWAYS annoy you!!..
My husband and I are both military BRATs and actually met while parents were stationed overseas. We have been married now for 42 years. The bratness was passed onto our kids with phrases like "Front and center," when telling our daughters its time to go. Or "march," when we meant business, or ,Scram," to vacate the premises. Or, asking friends who are relocating where they will be stationed.
Thanks! This is pretty good! 14 schools in twelve years and just ask me where I grew up...If you can count to 10 in 10 languages...And if you cried when you had to give up your military ID.
Funny, I'm in my 60's now. My dad was career navy - a sub vet. I lived on both coasts and grew up in housing, shopped at the nex and commissary. Actually my mom in her 80's has benefits my dad left her and I still shop at the commissary and nex. I still find the civilian world strange . I've heard military brats are like dandelions because where ever they're planted they thrive.
+BearKat: That was my life from birth to fifteen. Army brat. New Jersey, France (I remember the first residence best and the last one least--go figure), Virginia, (My father would sometimes bring me to work. It's easy to get lost in the Pentagon even if you follow the color coded lines on the floor) , Kansas, Taiwan (wonderful!), then New Jersey again. When trying to figure out where I was when, I still don't know whether to count backward or forward--and age hasn't improved the memories. It was a helluva ride and I thank you for sharing your experiences.
Oh man you had me laughing my ass off at "3 days in an airport", I know how you feel, I'm a military brat too. I remember waiting in and passing by the same airforce base in Ramstein Germany so many times it felt so comforting to know that everytime we got there I knew where everything was and how to pass the time😂
Copy that! Job well done young Lady, I am a 62 yr. old Army Brat, father served 23yrs ( Korean/ Vietnam ) Born in Vicenza Italy ( Military Base ) started schooling in japan Couldn't tell you any of the classmates names I went to grade school with, both parents born and raised in Pennsylvania, still to this day when I'm asked where I was born and I say Italy I get asked if I'm Italian, LOL. But so proud to be a Military brat, we all lived a life like no others and so glad I did. GOD BLESS THE USA!
AND as a 68 year old USMC brat, I still have one of the most valuable things that my 17 years on the go gave to me - I am adaptable! In this ever changing world, that is an incredible talent. We brats had it burned into our hearts over every move, with every friend lost and every new friend found. At a dozen schools, another house, and a million miles. We learned how to adjust to any situation and THAT never leaves you. Know that you are stronger than most, more reliable than many, and truer than anyone else to what you believe. Bobby
Well good for you gypsy, but most sane kids traditional and modern would rather divorce their folks, run away or shoot themselves than be that adaptable.
Bearcat, Great Job! This was as true back in the 60s when I and my friends were Brats as it is today. It was also true when I was in the Air Force in the 70s, 80s and 90s. And it will continue on as my nephew was just commissioned in the Navy as a SWO on Friday. His kids will undoubtedly agree with you in the future. Your descriptions are timeless.
U.S.Army Brat of the 60's, and 70's. Then became a soldier and now a veteran. So I have never been a civilian. Civilian world is very strange to this day.
If you ever had to practice evacuation drills, your probably an old BRAT. If you actually followed through and were evacuated, your definitely a military BRAT. Bearkat 63-66
Moved 8 schools from age 6-15, but spent it all in America, I was born in Germany though. I mainly went to Military schools, so it was common for people to come and go, as well as meeting people who knew what it was like to move a lot. Once my dad retired (a few months ago) we moved to a small town where nobody really leaves except for vacation and the nearest base it almost an hour away. And everyone knows each other, even if they go to different schools in the state. It’s really difficult to make friends, and it feels really lonely. I’m just glad to have siblings lol. The life of a military kid is so lonely there’s no way to describe it. Like, there is no representation. Sure, we celebrate a month for it, but nobody ever talks about being a military kid. It’s always the cons but never the struggles. No one talks about crying until you’re sick because you FINALLY made a real friend and now you have to move, or the feeling of losing someone you’ve tried SO hard to hold on to even after you move. Or how isolating it is to go to family reunions because it isn’t a reunion for you, it’s meeting new people. Military kids don’t get to hear stuff like “I used to change your diaper when you were a kid” or even share the same experience with their cousins.
I know how you feel, it’s the worst knowing that even if you do make friends, you don’t get to keep them. Growing up the only people who I would hang out with were other military brats. And the longest I kept my friends before moving was 4 years. Nobody really understands what it’s like only having siblings as friends. Not even having a home town. Spending years in some foreign country with people that hate Americans and don’t speak English. They don’t understand the extreme stress it puts on parents. My mom had to raise 4 kids alone for 10 months at a time, every time my dad was deployed. I look at other families in my life, they all have childhood friends, family reunions with lots of people, basically a social network that they’ve had since childhood. We military brats don’t really get that. Luckily my dad just retired so I won’t have to move again. But it feels like I kinda missed out on having childhood friends. Just glad I can move forward knowing that I’m here permanently. I guess the silver lining is that the military sort of becomes your family (a blessing and a curse 😂) like for example this summer my family needed to rent an Uber to drive 40 minutes from an airport, but instead one of my dad’s friends he served in combat with 17 years ago drove 2 hours just to drive us 40 minutes. Because they were more like family than friends. I remember joking with my brother and saying “when you’re a military brat, you can make friends, but you only get to keep them for 2-3 years” 😂
Thanks! Good job! There are many, many more "if you ever's".....lol. One of my favorites, was every night, my Dad would ask , "is the house secured"! If your a Brat, you will know what I mean! Haha!
1:13 ; and then I'd like to add one.. You tell your uncle on a camping trip that the flashlight died and there's no more batteries. He said "that's why I have a glowstick and a mountain dew bottle." And you're like ... 😃 My uncle was awesome. That was my only point.
I relate to literally everything except the languages since i can barely speak English lol, but i know several national anthems in English, Chamorro, Spanish and I want to learn another by the end of my next move. However, I know all the armed forces anthems s well, my favorite being army and air force.
kind of an odd question but, did you choose your name based on the F8F Bearcat or just randomly made one up? I'm a Navy and an Army brat, dad was a SEAL and a Night Stalker.
Good question! I wish it had been that clever, but the name just kind of happened during a family snowshoeing trip. I had a big, fuzzy winter hat on and started talking in a deep voice and dubbed myself "bear kat". Here's a video of the moment the character was brought to life: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4s3fZD_Avsg.html Thanks for asking!
