Recently I learned that April is the Month of the Military Child and I wanted to write about this before the month ended.

The Defense Department reports there are more than 1.6 million military children who face challenges because of their parents’ service.

I never really thought about this before but it’s come to light watching my grandson grow up. 

If you don’t know, my son-in-law, Steven, is an air traffic controller in the Navy. He was stationed in Virginia Beach, VA when Liam was born. He had a few deployments while they were living there and then got reassigned to Corpus Christi, TX. 

So far Liam has handled everything like a real trooper. I don’t think he really understood where daddy was while on deployment even though my daughter put a map of the world in his room and would put stickers on it to show where he was and where daddy was. When they moved from Virginia to Texas it appears he handled it well and enjoyed the new adventure. I can see it becoming more of an issue now that he’s in school, playing sports and making friends. 

I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for what “military brats” go through. I can’t imagine moving every two to three years while your mom or dad serves all over the country or all over the world. 

Where did the term “military brat” come from?

I came across a blog by Katie Lange that tried to find the explanation but she finally decided there is no clear-cut answer. 

One theory is that it came from England. “A book published in 1921 explained “BRAT” as a status standing for British Regiment Attached Traveler, and it was assigned to families who were able to travel abroad with a soldier.”

The term “barrack rat” was also used in the 1700’s in the United Kingdom when discussing stories about children that lived in army barracks. So it’s possible that the term “barrack rat” was contracted to “brat.”

If you were a military child I’m sure it must have been hard. Maybe you can look back on it now and see all the great places and things you got to experience. I’m sure you’ve had experiences that many of us will never see. However, I’m sure you didn’t think about that at the time. Starting a new school every few years, leaving friends, celebrating birthdays and holidays with mom or dad missing is a lot to ask of a little one. This month is the time to think of them and honor their sacrifice.

Being a military spouse isn’t easy either

I’ve written before about what I’ve observed with military spouses. My daughter, Sarah, does an amazing job when her husband is deployed. And my son, Doug, and daughter-in-law, Marla, have an interesting marriage as they are both in the Navy. While one is on “sea duty” the other serves on land. Now they’re not always out-to-sea while on sea duty they have both dealt with multiple deployments. While that is challenging for the spouses, this month gives us a chance to stop and honor the young ones who I’m sure don’t always understand what is going on.

I will share one personal story from my recent visit to Texas to see my little buddy. The last night I was there we had a slumber party as Liam climbed into the guest bedroom bed with me. All of a sudden he got real quiet and I asked if he was okay. He sighed and said, “I don’t want you to go. I’m going to miss you.” Tore my heart out. I was ready to say, “That’s it! I’m moving to Texas!”

I gave him a hug and said, “I’m going to miss you too buddy but the only way I can stop it from hurting is if I don’t come anymore. You wouldn’t like that, would you?” Even at 4-and-a-half-years-old he seemed to understand that. We FaceTime just about every day and the next trip is already planned.

If you were a military child and can relate to anything I’ve written today I salute you. 

For those of us who didn’t move and change schools every few years, maybe take a moment to think of those that did.

And we thank you for your service as it allowed mom and dad to serve.

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