My name is Helen Irene.
I was born on a U.S. Air Force base in Tripoli, Libya.
My dad retired Machinery Technician Senior Cheif of the U.S. Coast Guard.
My brother is an MP-canine unit in the U.S. Army.
My paternal uncle was at Guatanimo Bay in the Navy where he was disabled by a bomb.
My paternal aunt married an Air Force guy.
My maternal grandfather was a translater for the Allied Navy forces in WWII.
My paternal cousin drove tanks for the U.S. Army.
My father-in-law was 83rd airborn or something like that in WWII. He was wounded in the calf in Belgium. He walk ("crawled") from Normandy to Germany.
My grandmother's grandfather was a Civil War hero who was wounded in action.
As you can see, I come from a military family. Holidays were fun with one branch of the service putting down the other branches of service.
When I was 19, I married a Coast Guard guy, but I left him after 4 years, and divorced him a year after that.
Now, I am married to a really great guy with 3 cats.
Fast forward to the present, and I am remarried to Vietnam-era veteran. We have two in our family who are Iraq veterans, served extended (stop lossed) deployments in Iraq, OIF, March 2003 - July 2004. When invasion into Iraq was initiated, it seemed all my years as military brat training came flooding back - our country at war and protocols of being a civilian - homefront military family with loved ones serving.
I've got a lot of 'history' under my belt, and having lived through Vietnam, raising our children in the shadow of Vietnam, I simply could not see the reason for invading Iraq despite the attempt of this Administration in propagandizing the reasons as tied to 9/11 attack. It took a while for me to overcome my brat training, but I became a military family speaking out, supporting our troops by calling into question the validity, justification in deploying our men and women in uniform into combat in Iraq.
I have pride in our military, and along with that pride a strong sense of the need to protect abuse of our proud military whenever they are charged to combat deployment by the Commander-in-Chief. I expect fully for any CIC to respect the values of the military and not to exploit those values in a questionable mission of combat.
Given the polarized viewpoints of what 'patriotism' means in 2000 era, I found my views were often times unwelcome among military community. Respecting and understanding the why of that, I chose to give space to fellow military families who need to hold onto their disciplines and viewpoints for often highly personal reasons - it is military families who carry the burden and weight of war in Afghanistan and the Iraq invasion/occupation. I have always been proud of my heritage even with it's less than savory dynamics, and respect that others are also proud of their heritage as military families/military brats.
Long story short, my introduction is a tenative one here, as it's not my intention to enter with my soapbox at the ready; rather to find community amongst other military brats, respecting that viewpoints might be diverse, I hope to build connections. I'd like to hear what you think, value your feedback.
I am so glad you joined us.
One of the great things about being a brat is that we do not have to follow a chain of command.
I closed this group so people would feel free to write their true feelings. It is ok to disagree here.
Personally, I completely agree with you Lietta.
My dad was Vietnam era.
My brother is in the Army now. My mom is terrified that he will be deployed to Iraq...especially since he is experienced with war having served in Honduras and Panama...and he is an MP - canine unit.
I created this group so I could share my experiences and feelings with others who may understand.
Having traveled so much, I saw more than people did who lived in one place all their lives.
I do not agree with the this war in Iraq. Personally, I think Haliburton should not even be there. But that is my personal opinion.
We can disagree and still respect each other. You are welcome to disagree with me.
Again, Lietta,
In 1996.
The tent belongs to me. I was there with a guy I was engaged to marry. He ended up in the Albanian war, and was wounded in the leg. He is dead now.
I still have the tent.
We bought the tent at a camping/hunting exhibit in Ohio.
I love camping, and that is a great memory.
Petros and I used to live in Texas until 1995.
Hi,
lol.
Am I considered an authentic Military Brat? My Dad was an M.P., I think he served during or around the Korean war or so I've heard my mom mention a few times. He left us when I was around 3yrs.old,so I didn't travel with him. I am interested in military things such as military strategy,military rules of engagement, (If I've conceived this phrase "military rules of engagement."it's how the military laws of war,protection,etc. work in our country and when our soliders go to other countries?) I'm also interested in how much the military laws and military training in each specialty(Airforce,Navy,Marines,Army,) have changed and in which way. Also,I'm wondering why some Military Bases have closed locally. I still want a peaceful world,but still maintain an improving government and at least some military is necessary "just in case." of terrorists.
My uncle attended the military language academy learned Korean and Japanese fluently and was an interrogator during the Vietnam War.He earned a Bronze medal. Other uncle was in the Marines got shapne.(spelling.)other Uncle was in the Airforce,and one lived in Hawaii for a while,and was an Army Seargent.(on my aunt's side.)
Yes, you qualify.
I bet holidays were fun for you also with all the different branches.
On a personal note, did you get to see your dad again after they separated?
Military marriages are not the easiest of marriages. And when a soldier is in combat, there are more issues involved, like maybe PTSD or adjusting to life back home.
To have a birthfather USMC and then to be adopted by a USMC...you were really meant to be a USMC brat.
I am so glad you joined us.
Welcome aboard!!!
Is there competition between the different branches in England?
I was born in Twenty-nine Palms, California (USMC base). We did the usual traveling around, 2 years here, 2 years there, until I was about 12, when daddy went to Viet Nam. After he returned home, he finished out his 30 years, then retired. I consider Oceanside, California, next to USMC base Camp Pendleton, my hometown, though I don't live there anymore.
My husband is also a marine brat, and was a marine himself, and a Viet Nam vet. (My brother was U.S. Army, also a Viet Nam vet).
I feel at home when I see white buildings with green roofs and white painted rocks lining the sidewalks. My hearts swells when I see a service person in uniform, I feel so proud of them. I fly my flag. I respect the U.S. Constitution. My eyes tear up when I hear the National Anthem and the Marine Corps Hymn. I am hopelessly sentimental and patriotic.
And I agree entirely with Lietta about the war in Iraq.
I did not think of the white stones until you mentioned it...in my Tropico game, I usually line my pathes with white stones, not realizing why until now.
I have 51 years on this earth, My Father was in the Air Force
we retired at Pease A.F.B. and stayed in the area, I am always looking for people I met while living the military brat life.
If anyone remembers me, (maybe by the name of Peggy Cote)
please contact me I would love to know how everyone is doing, Like Tim Bullman, Terry Carter, Charlene Johnson, Renee Delano, Doc bones, and so many others.
oh ya Sue Atkinson we had so much fun at Portsmouth high school.
would love to hear from anyone who remembers me, Tyron and Terry, Yvonne Delion ( not sure thats spelled right)
anyway would love to hear from some people.
Marguerite Snow/ aka Peggy Cote
This is so cool because I was born on an Air Force base...in Libya.
I used to go to Lackland Air Force base when we were stationed in Port Lavaca, Texas. I had my wisdom teeth removed there. Lackland base in San Antonio has an excellent hospital.
Hi everyone,
It's great to see a community of military brats on the net like this! I was an Air Force brat (my Mom was too). My dad was in the USAF from the time I was born until I was about 17.
We moved a lot until I was 10 (7 major moves and 11 houses/apartments in a total of three countries-- France, Germany and the USA) and then after Vietnam the Air Force slowed down moves for many of its familes for a while-- and we so stayed put in Maryland after that-- although Dad remained in the military and the base remained an important part of our lives.
Dad was a POW in Korea and also served in Vietnam. Although Korea was before I came along, I vividly remember the year that my father was in Vietnam-- I knew other kids who's dads were casualties, but Dad made it back, thankfully.
My Mom was also a military brat-- she attended 18 different schools by the time she was 18 years old-- Her father was in the Army Air Corps (which eventually became the Air Force) for a total of 40 years.
Anyway-- all of the good stuff from all of these experiences, (plus all of the hard stuff) shaped and permeated our lives in many ways.
It's good to be here and see posts from so many other fellow brats!! I only very rarely come across other brats in my life-- but I always feel an immediate bond, regardless of service branch.
We really are an invisible subculture!
Best to all,
Phil Murray
I am so glad you joined us.
As you may have already read, I was born on a U.S. Air Force base in Libya. My dad was station on the U.S.C.G. Courrier at the time.
My brother was active duty Army, and now he is in the Army Reserves.
I am happy to be a member of this group. I came from a military family.I had my Dad, four uncles, four aunts,five cousins, and my son and my grandson all were or still are active military.My son is in the USMC. My grandson is a U.S. Army combat medic.Both have been deployed to Iraq. My son was deployed twice. I am a happy military Mother and grandmother. Love&Peace, Kay
You look far too young to be a mom, let alone a grandmother of a military guy.
Which service was you dad in? to our Military Brat family.
My name is Jenn and my dad was in the Army for almost 23 years. I also come from a military family. Both of my grandfathers, all of my uncles, and cousins were and some of them still are in the military. They have been in Coast Guard, Navy, and Air Force. My husband joined the Army and went to Iraq for 15 months but he has been medically discharged. It was a good experience growing up in the military. I didn't think so when I was a kid but now looking back it made me into the person I am today. Look forward to getting to know all of you! I did have another profile several years back but made a new one so if you have been on this board since 2004 you might recognize me.
I'm Claudio. I'm Brazilian and myd dad was in our air Force from 1953 to 1984, so I spent my whole childhood and part of my teen years moving from one base to another in this quite big coutry (as big as Continental U.S., actually). Funny thing is, only my Uncle Clovis in my family became a career military man, and then as a doctor in the Air Force medical corps. My granpa was a railway hand turned station master and then a tailor, and my kid brother went into the Air Force as a cadet but quit to join the Merchant Marine (he's in global cargo trade as a manager now). I spent a year as a private in the Air Force when my dad was already a colonel in supply services (but me in Sao Paulo and he in Rio), 'cause we still have the draft here and it's not going away. But then I was already a history teacher in my heart, so I became a civilian again and resumed college. Our last foreign war was in Italy 1944-45, but we had a severe guerrilla was here in the 60's-70's, and times were tough for military families even under military government (from 1964-1985, time I was born and grew up). Still, I recall gladly my base carefree days, and now I live and work just minutes awy from the last base I lived in before my parents divorced. It is still quite the same, altough half-deactivated for money and climate problems. I hug all military brats over there, specially those who have lost relatives and friends on comnbat zones, or still have them on the line of duty. My prayers for them, my love to you!
Jenn, I am so sorry about your husband. My prayers go out to him. Is the military helping him in his recovery? Anything we can do?
Claudio, you have absolutely no idea how much I have missed you. Just seeing you here makes me feel so much better. 
Hello!
I just wanted to tell you how much I
apreciate your friendship!
With Love 
I'm Kat. My father was a Navy Corpsman, mum was in the Marines. I love hearing about how they met.
They both served in Dessert Storm, Persian Gulf.
My dad has been all over the world. From disclosed locations to more. My mother worked in warehousing. XD
My father has PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. One smell, one sound can set him off. We missed out on fireworks because of it. [Not Complaining]
My parents were both medically discharged when my siblings and I were young, so we didn't move around at all really.
I was born at Cherry Point NC.
I have never met another military brat, let alone another military brat who's parent has PTSD.
I'm a Senior in high school, after graduating, I plan on going to college to become a Psychologist. After college I plan on enlisting in the Air Force to become a Clinical Social Worker. After I have proudly served this amazing country, it'd be my dream to start my own practice deicated to military Families with PTSD. I dream big, aim for the moon, because even if I miss, I'll still land among the stars.
So thats pretty much me! ask me anything, I'm an open book!
