2023/Ryle-23674

Military families, they all have different ways of being one. But, if you ask one child or adult that’s in a military family, one thing that we all share is PCS’ing. PCS, or Permanent Change of Station, is a move between one duty station and another or between your final duty station and home of record upon retirement or discharge. Many kids in my school have PCS’d more than atleast twice. For me, my case is different. I have only ever PCS’d twice.

The first time I had to PCS was two years after I was born. When I was around two or so, My father was told he had to PCS to Atsugi, Japan. This is where I grew up most of my life considering I lived there until I was halfway through 2nd grade. Or, around eight years old. While living in Atsugi, I have met multiple military families. Some I am still friends with today. And I'm pretty sure I know most military friends was becasue my dad was rather working or friends with them.

The second and final time I had to PCS was halfway through 2nd grade, when I was told that my dad had to PCS again. But, I wasn’t going anywhere like America. I was still going to be in Japan. But it was another part. This part of Japan I was going to was Iwakuni, Japan. From a drive from Atsugi to Iwakuni, It took me around eight hours. It was sad to see my friends from Iwakuni go, but I couldn’t do anything for it. Small world though, as some of my main group of friends actually moved to Iwakuni after 2nd grade. So it had made me less worried about missing my friends, although they only were here for 1 year it was still fun seeing them again after I had left Atsugi. Now that I am in Iwakuni I have met more military families and I’m glad to be here.