2025/Reese-

When I was 7 years old, I found out my mom was in the military. I didn’t know because I didn’t go to a military school or live on base. So, when we had to move from Georgia to Alabama, I was ecstatic. I was going to live in a house that had an upstairs and downstairs! There was a park within walking distance of my house instead of the woods that you weren’t allowed to go in by yourself. There were kids my age who lived in my neighborhood and went to the same school as me. These were all things that I had never experienced before. It had even snowed! And I was only an hour away from my family in Georgia. It couldn’t get any better than this. Then, we had to move again.

When I was 11 years old, I found out my mom could fly planes. I didn’t know because I thought she was just a doctor. So, when we had to move from Alabama to Hawaii, I was ecstatic. I lived in a house that had a ginormous backyard. It was warm outside every single day. I could go to the beach any day I wanted! There were so many new fruits and vegetables to try because of the yearly tropical climate. A shaved ice truck came to my school every Thursday! All things I had never experienced before. So, although I was no longer an hour away from my family in Georgia, it wasn’t half bad. Then, it was time to move again.

When I was 14 years old, I found out I was moving to another warm climate area. I did miss the cold weather but finding out it would be in another country was not what I was expecting. I was scared that I wouldn’t find anyone like me or relate to me but thankfully that wasn’t the case. As military children, we often think that we’ll be detached from the people around us, but we’re actually all the same. We’re all kids who have had to move at some point, leaving behind our family, friends, and memories. Yet, it doesn’t always have to be that way.

As a military child, you can’t speak for everybody and say it’s great. There are ups and there are downs. But, I think that the benefits can outshine the detriments if you let them.