Thank you for ensuring "families" was included here. I dare say most civilians don't understand the sacrifices, or what it means to be a "
brat" or spouse (or parent) of a servicemember.
For example, military brats move an average of 10 times during his or her childhood. They typically don't have a "home town" so the question, "
Where are you from?" has no meaning. They are frequently forced to change schools in the middle of the school year, leave their friends behind, or watch as their friends move away - again.
Spouses often have to forego any real career, having to give up advancement opportunities and seniority. Advanced education opportunities are often limited, at best, as the family is
uprooted, again.
Uprooted? What roots? They are never at any one place long enough to lay down roots.
That said, most brats are proud to be brats. I know I am. My dad graduated from West Point on D-Day (June 6, 1944). He was in flight school in Arizona a few days later. After completing flight school, he married his high-school sweetheart, my mom on Aug 13th. After a 5-day honeymoon, he was shipped off to war in Northern Africa and Southern Europe, flying P-38 recon missions over Nazi territories.
That was not the first time my mom watched my dad go off to war.
I was born in Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Hospital in 1952. I was lucky. I only had to change schools 7 times while growing up. I spent 19 years as an Air Force brat, until I joined in 1971 and spent the next 24 years, 24, days, 15 hours and 55 minutes (approx) "Active Duty". And now I am "retired Air Force".
My kids came a bit later in my AF career so they were only uprooted 4 times, to includes once 1/2 around the world, then back again.
I was lucky. While I have seen war, I have never been shot at. I always came home. My kids, however, have friends who made the ultimate sacrifice any "brat" (or spouse, or parent, or sibling) can ever make.
So my flag is flying high today to thank all Veterans, to include my dad, and his dad before him, and my uncle as well. But it is also flying high to thank the unsung heroes of the military, our families too.