Personal Narrative: I Am A Military Child

I have been serving in the Army for 18 years. I did four years in the Marines. I am currently working in Fort Drum as a Sergeant Major. My job is Infantry.

The most challenging aspect I have found about being a leader and Soldier in the Army is finding balance between Army life and life outside of my career. As a father and a husband, I have to consciously make time for the other factors in my life. Since I have spent an average of my adult life more at work than at home, whether deployed or in garrison, I have formed lasting bonds with peers, superiors and subordinates alike. It is a delicate balance to ensure that I am creating similar bonds with my 10 and 16 year old boys, who live with their mother, while continuously strengthening my bond with my wife. Although this balance remains a challenge, I have found that by anticipating various reactions to my words and actions that I am choosing to say what I actually mean. That simple process has positive impacts on my continuing effort to build resiliency. I also make it a point to “hunt the good stuff” and focus on the positive aspects of my life rather than the things that cause me to stress. I find that positive communication and exercise are also good releases for me and helps me to feel less overwhelmed.

I went pre-med before getting deployed and as an intern I've seen a lot of horrible things. But when it's your friend... Someone you serve with... It stays with you forever.

Growing up as a military child and living all over the world, I was afforded many

Growing up in Iraq, I endured my homeland’s journey through a difficult period in its history. No one was unaffected: civilians’ lives were disrupted by years of wars and detrimental economic sanctions, but amid the destruction, I saw the good in my community. I witnessed a massive humanitarian effort led by healthcare professionals, as physicians worked to meet the medical needs in my town. My dreams were shaped by this exposure, and ever since, I’ve hoped to join these doctors in their efforts.

With no vision or plan to enter the civilian life and no idea what to do with my life, I still had severe scars of the year in Iraq. There wasn’t a priority or a drive, but however, I did have some responsibility I had a wife and three children. In a desperate move, I attempted to return to the State where I was born as I think about it this may have been some comfort zone. I would send my two new children back home to their state while I attempted to land a job. My first interview would be in Cincinnati as a Retail Manager in a large company. Confident that I had some stability, I couldn’t avoid the heavy drinking or my violent outbursts I would eventually succumb to leaving my wife and two children to find myself in this lost world, which later I regretted. My focus was to leave everything behind and start a new life this would

Have you ever thought to yourself “today could be the day I lose everything and everyone I care about?” As a military child I was use to moving but never did I think I would move to a whole new country. Moving to Japan was exciting, yet scary at the same time. I was excited to learn a new culture and language, but scared I wouldn’t fit in. Living on a military base I was surrounded by other military children and of course many Americans. I had an amazing first 2 years in Japan but all of that suddenly changed.

On the early morning of April 19th, my husband left to gather with the militia. I being worried could not go back to sleep and awaited by the window from time to time. The children were still asleep and out of the corner of my eyes, I see at least a couple hundred of lobsterbacks. I was frightened and crouched making sure I wasn’t seen. Oh how my heart beated, and I am ashamed to remind myself that the militia fired. Perhaps out of fear, but they fired. Immediately there was movement until my eyes could see, running, shooting, bloodshed. As soon as I saw the Regulars marching, and the house being so near to all the commotion I ran to the children and hoped they wouldn’t burn the house down. I was prepared, nervous for the life of my husband

The year was 2007 and my brother Eric had just returned home from deployment to Iraq and the mood was ecstatic around the house. My dad was welling up with tears, finally being able to see his oldest child returning home from service. Mom was also very happy as well, repeatedly fondling over Eric as soon as he entered the house. Eric and I had always been close, even though there was a decent age gap between us of 15 years. We talked for hours about what his time was like in Iraq and in the military; he seemed open to talking about it even though he witnessed some fairly nightmarish experiences. Eventually I got the bright idea to challenge him to a wrestling match on the lawn even though he had 120 pounds on me. He tried to talk me out of

My army career was right on track. I had been in the army 3 years at this point, coming up on 4, and already had completed air assault school, been awarded my expert infantry badge, and had one 15 month deployment under my belt. I was assigned to the scout platoon sniper section and was waiting for a sniper school packet to get final approval from the company commander. I had been studying for the sergeant promotion board for months. I knew that study guide like the back of my hand, I knew whatever question I was asked by the command sergeant major I would have an answer for. I went to the promotion board that morning and blew it out of the water. My dress uniform was perfect. No one was able to find a single deficiency. The soldiers creed

It all started on a dare, I was told to join the armed forces. So I did, but everything changed that day when I saw a petty officer sprinting down the street. Only to stop not 2 feet in front of me and say “urgent telegram for Sergeant Rose!!” Which is when I knew that something was different because I never get anything important from the air force, I had only become sergeant a month ago. The briefing was hard because we knew most wouldn’t come back. Then it was shipping day. The steps toward the plane weren’t any better most of the men were married and yet most of them knew, knew that more likely than not they weren’t making it back. As for the ones that would be able to sleep on their own beds after this, well it would be worse. They would have to live with the fact that they lost their brothers in arms, but hey I'm getting ahead of myself, gotta focus on surviving.

Growing up as an Army brat. We had to learn a lot of values growing up. Even though my father and I didn't have a strong connection. He was still able to provide for his family. Our family showed a different type of morals. Like never show your true emotions. My brother and I had to learn that. I didn't really know what that meant till I was much older. And? It stuck with me till this day. By showing emotion would show people that you were soft. My mother would show comfort to you if you were struggling but she knew the balance of reasoning. Since growing up and moving out of the house and following the family tradition. By joining the service made my father's and myself relationship stronger. One day my father approached me and asked

The next week was PRT training where we learned about life on the PRT, how to work with the military, how to interact with our Iraqi interlocutors and life in general on a FOB (Forward Operating Base), where I was headed or at the Embassy. There were basic intros into many of the players in Iraq providing assistance, USAID, Department of State efforts, and some of the many projects being undertaken.

Growing up as an Army brat had some disadvantages. Constantly moving, going to different schools, living in places that did not even speak English well, and most importantly not a stable support system. I did not really live with my parents until I was ten years old and that was short lived it only lasted four years. My parents were always getting station to a different military base or felt like we needed a bigger house. I was basically raised by my grandmothers, which was nice sometimes but I really wanted to be with my parents. A typical day when I was little went like this: wake up at my grandma’s house or at the local military base daycare, go to school, pick up from school by the daycare or my grandma, have an afternoon filled with all sorts of activities so I would not notice my parents were not there, go to my parent’s house, do my homework and eat dinner with them, pack my suitcase for that night, and return back to my grandma’s house. I moved so much that this college is my eleventh school I attended, which is sad since I never went to pre-kindergarten. Attending school was very much harder for me. I was bullied for being plus size and not

I joined the Marine Corps looking for a challenge. I wanted to open doors for a new career and longed to have a positive impact on the world around me. Looking back five years later, I realize I found all that I originally sought, but I’ve also found something profoundly satisfying and meaningful that I never knew I was missing.