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Military brat (U.S. subculture)

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Military family reunited with the father returning from time at sea.

Military brat (or simply brat) is a term for someone whose parent or parents serve or served in the armed forces. While it can be used to describe soldiers' children from any country, it has specific cultural implications with American military brats.

A typical American military brat grows up in a culture where frequent moves, authoritarian families, extreme patriarchy, protracted overseas experiences, parental absence, the threat of parental loss in war or preparation for war, and the militarization of the family are perceived as normal.[1] While non-military families may possess one or more of these characteristics, military culture is unique because of the number of families that unquestioningly share these attributes in a tight knit society. This results in an upbringing that shapes and orients the brat in a very different manner than civilians.[1] As a result of their similar childhoods, military brats share certain characteristic traits, both positive and negative.

While the term "brat" is commonly utilized in a derogatory manner; in military communities, brat is neither a subjective or judgmental term. One either is a military brat or one is not, its usage is unrelated to that of "spoiled brat". While the origins of the term are unknown, military personnel have created numerous unofficial backronyms such as "Born Rough and Tough" or "Brave, Resilient, Adaptable, and Tough."[2]

Because of the uniqueness of their upbringing, many brats identify more with other brats---regardless of race, religion, nationality, or gender---than they do with non-brats.[3] This is in part because military brats often feel like they never belong.[4] For this reason, brats are curious about other famous brats and how fictional brats are depicted in popular culture. Often times, in pop culture, the only way that one knows a character is a military brat, such as Sean Boswell or Joey Gladstone, is when the writers use it to advance the story-line. Other characters, such as Margaret Houlihan or Dr Gregory House, have characters whose identities are defined by their upbringing.[5]

Third Culture Kids

File:Staff Sgt. Russell Davis.jpg
Military brat reunited with her father returning from Iraq.

A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is a person who has spent a significant portion of their developmental years in one or more cultures other than their birth culture. Originally dealing exclusively with people who lived overseas, sociologist Ruth Hill Useem, who coined the term, later redefined TCK as a child who follows their "parents into another culture."[6] Military brats develop their identity from the various cultures in which they lived.[7] The term Third Culture originated because TCKs integrate aspects of their birth culture and the new culture creating a "third culture."

Military culture has its own norms and expectations. They are so different, that military brats cannot help but find civilians very different and often incomprehensible.[8] Military culture is more structured and regimented and brats struggle with the lack of regiment within the civilian community.[9]

While the brat struggles to adapt to the civilian community, the civilian community may respond negatively to the brat. Military families are always outsiders to the local civilian community. The local community has a personality, a life, a history that the military family doesn't fit into or know. Since the brat is a transient who will leave in a few years, the brat may be treated with hostility and mistrust rather than being welcomed by the locals.[10]

Military bases add to the isolation between military personnel and civilians. Generally one needs a military ID to gain access to a base. Once on base, the ID is required to take advantage of the benefits offered. Military bases are miniature self-contained government subsidized towns having their own non-profit commissaries, base/post exchanges, liquor stores, books stores, beauty shops, bowling alleys, movie theaters, etc. The cost of goods sold on military bases can be 25% less than local stores. Thus, military families may go to base to do their shopping. Not only does this isolate the families further (because they are not seen in local stores), but it further homogenizes military personnel. Since military families shop the same stores, they are more likely to buy the same clothes and other products than their civilian counterparts. Food and clothing choices are regulated by Congress to prevent unfair competition with neighboring communities. This means that the latest designer brands/labels/styles may not be available on military bases, again isolating the community.[11]

Research U.S. focused

Research on Military brats is a relatively recent endeavor. Prior to the 1980s, virtually everything that was known sociologically about military brats was the result of clinical reviews by military psychologists and psychiatrists. These studies overemphasized the negative attributes of growing up military because they were based upon patients seeking counselling.[12]

In the 1980s, the trend in the U.S. started to change. The U.S. Armed Forces began sponsoring research on the effects of growing up as a military brat. This research was usually sponsored in reaction to social and psychological issues found in military families and communities.[13] Due to this sponsorship, the research into military brats has a strong U.S. bias. While military brat can be used for any country's military youth, studies to date on brat culture is almost exclusively on U.S. brats.

Other countries may have different cultures in their armed forces. While the U.S. military is an all volunteer force, some countries have mandatory service commitments. The U.S. has a strong presence in other countries--many countries may not deploy their servicemen (and families) to other countries. The U.S. forces often are deployed all over the world for "police actions," while other countries may be less reluctant to do so or may be involved in active wars in their own regions. In foreign countries, the U.S. often has military bases with stores, Armed Forces Radio/Television, and The Stars and Stripes newspaper catering to Americans, but other countries may not provide this link to their home country. These are just a few of numerous differences between the U.S. armed forces and other country's armed forces; unfortunately, how these differences affect non-U.S. military brats is (as of yet) under-researched.

Growing up in the military

Military values

By law, all commanding officers and those in authority are required demonstrate virtue, honor, patriotism, and subordination in all that they do.[14] In the 1990s the United States Army values came to be summarized with the acronym LDRSHIP. LDRSHIP stands for Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. While this acronym is relatively new, the ideas contained therein have been at the heart of military service for generations. The motto "Duty, honor, country" is the American Military value standard.[15][16] Military brats are raised in a culture where LDRSHIP, Duty, Honor, Country, and being a "lady/gentleman" are stressed. The strict adherence to military values is what separates military brats most from their civilian peers.[9]

Discipline

In his book The Great Santini, Patrick Conroy describes a military family with an abusive totalitarian father — Bull Meecham. Bull Meecham is the epitome of the worst stereotypes of the military father. Yet the character of Bull Meecham rings a bell with military brats. Military brats reported either knowing a Bull Meecham or having been raised by one.[17]

In many military families one could find a duty roster on the refrigerator, parents might conduct room inspections, and "Yes Sir/ma'am" or "No Sir/Ma'am" were mandatory. Eighty percent of the brats describe their father as "authoritarian" (not to be mistaken with "authoritative").[18] Military brats often describe their military parent as rigid in discipline, inflexible, intolerant of dissent, disapproving of non-conforming behavior and not accepting of personal privacy.[19]

Disciplinary expectations, however, extended beyond the military family. "Most military children ... grow up in mortal fear of making some stupid mistake and finding out the whole family has to pay for it."[20] The consequences of misbehavior for a military brat are much greater than that for civilian children. The military personnel’s career and social identity can be dashed in seconds by a willful or careless child.[21] For example, when a military brat gets in trouble, the brat's parents might not be the first person called. Oftentimes the authorities will call the brat's parent's Commanding Officer or the Base Commander before or instead of the brat's parents.[22] If the Commanding Officer or Base Commander is contacted, then the brat's behavior may become a permanent part of the military member's record and adversely affect his/her ability to be promoted or get the prime duty assignments.[23]

In a comparison study, military brats were better behaved than their civilian counterparts. Three possible explanations were hypothesized. First, military parents have a lower threshold for misbehavior in their children. Second, the mobility of teenagers might make them less likely to attract attention on themselves as they are less secure with their surrounding. Finally, normative constraints are greater. Family members know that their behavior is under scrutiny and can affect the military member’s career.[24]

Strict discipline, however, does come with a price. Many brats rebel against the rules and others develop psychological problems due to the intense stress of being well behaved.[25][26]

School life

Summer is the most common time for a family to be transferred and the winter holidays are the second most.[27] Even if a move occurs during the summer months, a transfer can have significant ramifications for students. Students may find out that the courses they took at their old school do not fulfill the graduation requirements at their new school.[28][29] Older military brats often had to deal with records getting lost.[30]

While moving during the summer months could be challenging, moving during the winter holidays or mid-year has traditionally been viewed as the worst time to move.[31] The student is forced to join classes that have already begun. Social groups become even more difficult to break into and activities that the student enjoyed may be barred to the student. For example, an athlete may not be able to join their sport because they missed tryouts and the season had already began. A student who excelled at their old school suddenly feels inadequate.[32]

Military children have lower delinquency rates and higher achievement scores on standardized tests than their civilian peers.[33] They have also been shown to have a higher median IQ than their civilian peers.[33] Military brats are more likely to have a college degree (60% v 24%) and possessed an advanced degree (29.1% v 5%). While these rates are higher than the general U.S. population as a whole (5%), it is a lower rate than those of non-brat TCK's (84-90% college degree and 40% graduate degree).[34]

Friendships

Another study noted that Military Brats are more outgoing and independent.[35] This is because military brats are constantly making new friends to replace the ones that they have lost.[36] Eighty percent of brats claim that they can relate to anyone, regardless of differences such as race, ethnicity, religion, or nationality.[37]

At a base or international school, new students are more readily accepted than they are at a civilian school.[32] A typical base high school experiences a fifty percent turn over every year (25% graduate while a third of the remaining 75% of students move).[32] When half the student body changes, social groups that existed one year cease to exist and new groups emerge. The brat has to learn to adapt quickly to fit in. The brats are more likely to reach out to a new student, because the brat knows what it is like to be the new student.

The openness to others, however, has a price. While military brats look like they are making friends, the friendships are often surface level lacking the depth often found in civilian communities.[28] Relationships tend to be short lived. Since military families move every 2-3 years brats tend to make friends quicker but are ready to discard them.[38] Rather than develop problem-solving skills, there is a temptation to simply leave a problem without resolving it.[32] If a person doesn't like somebody or gets into a fight, they know that in a few years somebody will move and the problem will disappear. Thus, many brats struggle their entire lives developing close lasting friendships.[9]

Frequent and unexpected moves

British Colonial Boys

Military Brats move on average every three years. Of those who grew up as brats (birth through high school) 97% lived in at least one foreign country, 63% in two, 31% in 3. They average 8 moves before graudating from High School and spend an average of 7 years in foriegn countries. Over 80% speak at least one non-English language and 14% speak three or more. [34]

Studies have shown that it is harder for a military brat to move than it is for their civilian counterpart. While one might assume that the brat has grown used to moving, the constant disruption to their social networks makes it more difficult.[39]

Making friends with their civilian counterparts can be difficult. Not only have civilians lived together for years developing tight cliques, but brats may find it hard to relate to their non-mobile peers. Children who have made numerous moves during their childhood often find they have more in common with other mobile children, regardless of nationality, than they do with people who haven't moved. This is particularly true for brats who have spent time overseas. Because of their international exposure, many Third Culture Kids become frustrated with the lack of knowledge demonstrated by geographically stable families. Knowing (or at least believing) that they have a better understanding of world, geography and politics many feel superior to their less well traveled peers.[32]

In addition to numerous moves, a military brat experiences numerous separations from their military parent over the course of their lifetime generally not experienced by civilians.[40] Military members can be deployed for days, months, even years without their family. When a parent is stationed without his family, the children experience the same emotions as children of divorce.[41] In addition to the effects divorced parents may encounter, military brats have additional concerns. When a military member is sent away, the family does not always know where they are going or when (or if) the service member will return.[42]

Marine serviceman and family preparing to leave for deployment.

When a military person is deployed, the entire family can be affected. Studies show that there are three phases to deployment and each phase has different impacts on the family. Military spouses reported the following when their spouse was deployed:

  • Predeployment — Marital stress/conflict, distancing from spouse, anger, resentment, sadness/depression, negative child behavior.
  • Deployment — Marital problems, isolation, loneliness, anger, resentment, sadness/depression, reduced communications, stress, less social support, assuming the role of single parent, child care difficulties, sleep disturbances, physical symptoms, home and car repairs, difficulty assessing military services, negative child behavior.
  • Postdeployment/Reunion — Redefining responsibilities, marital stress, communication problems, anxiety, anger, resentment, parent-child attachment issues[43]

Patriotism

Military Brats are generally raised to be patriotic.[44] While military brats may not develop strong relations with people or places, they do form a strong connection with the notion of a military base. This concept is fortified via consistent rituals common on all military bases.[45] When moving around the world, these rituals help brats to feel at home in their new community. Even though the faces and geography have changed, the "base" remained recognizable because the rituals are consistent. The underlying principle of these rituals is consistent: to promote patriotism. The military family, knowing that their military member may be killed in the line of duty, accept that risk because they believe patriotism is worth dying for.[46]

For example, on U.S. military bases, honoring the American Flag is expected. At 1700 hours (5:00 P.M.) on U.S. Military Bases around the world the flags are lowered and "Retreat" is played.[47] Anybody outside, even if participating in sports or driving a car, is expected to stop their activity and stand at attention.[48] Uniformed personnel salute and non-uniformed people place their hand over their heart. Those who fail to do so may be reported and notated in the military member's permanent record (even if it was a family member and not the military member.)

Major Payne saying goodbye to his wife before deployment.

Schools on military bases will display the countries flags and teach patriotic/military songs.[49] Patriotism is even taught during church sermons. Protestant and Catholic worship services include militaristic hymns.[50]

Finally, brats are raised to respect their parents' profession. In order to do so in a military community, this means embracing the patriotism that military personnel embody.[51] “The child in a military family gains [their family] identity from an occupational-social spectrum subsumed under the special mission of national defense… Military culture is organized according to rank, military specialty, unit membership, branch of service, and residence… all of which affects the identity formation of a child growing up in a military family.” [46] On April 18, 2006 Marine General Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, said "There's no way, in my mind, that you can be successful in the military and have a family unless that family does, in fact, appreciate your service to the country.[...] [Brats are] patriots and role models for us all." [38]

Social issues

Classism

Military life is strictly segregated by class, centered around one's rank.[52] The facilities provided for officers and enlisted personnel differ dramatically. For example, on base housing for officers will be significantly nicer than those for enlisted personnel. The officers' housing will generally be more accessible to base activities, larger in size, and better landscaped. Occasionally, on larger bases, the officers' housing will be broken down into different categories. Senior officers housing may be slightly larger and nicer than their lower ranking counterparts. On the largest bases, there might be a row of opulent houses referred to "Colonels' Row" or "Generals' Row." In these houses the highest ranking personnel on the base reside. On the other end of the spectrum, are the enlisted quarters. Oftentimes enlisted personnel might be assigned apartments and only then if space was available.

The Officer Clubs are nicer than the Enlisted Clubs. Officers may even have nicer recreational facilities than their enlisted counterparts, such as a nicer swimming pool or recreation halls. Historically, base chapels and movie theaters would have designated seating for officers and their families. Some bases even had two Boy Scout and two Girl Scout troops — one for officer children and one for enlisted children.[53]

"Class difference is not just the external structure of a military child's world, it is an invasive reality." [53] Wertsch describes how children of enlisted personnel perceived their officer counterparts to receive specialized treatment. They believe that officers' children get away with more because people are afraid to upset the officer.[54] The children of officers socialized with other officers' children. The children of enlisted personnel socialized with those of other enlisted personnel. Even if an officer brat and an enlisted brat became friends at school, this friendship rarely carried over to the home life. The physical separation and differences between available activities made it very difficult.[55]

This separation is by design. In many countries, it can be illegal for an officer to become friends with an enlisted person. Fraternization with enlisted personnel is strictly prohibited because it would corrode the military hierarchy. This expectation is often conveyed to the children of military personnel. Military brats often develop a sense that allows them distinguish the rank of another child's father.[56]

While not as intense as the artificial barriers imposed by rank, classism includes the branch of service the military parent belongs to. If you ask military brats about the best branch of service, it will invariably be the one their parent belonged to. They will have many reasons why their branch of the service is the best. Military personnel in one branch of service for two different countries may team up against a fellow countryman of a different branch of service. Furthermore, these biases are maintained well past the time they cease to be military dependents. But inter-service rivalries don't just end at the end of the branch of service, each branch of the service has its own internal rivalries. The two most notable internal rivalries would be 1) combat vs non-combat roles and 2) graduates from the military academies vs non-military academies.[57]

Racism

See also: Racism

With strict guidelines based upon the rank in the military member, the issue of race diminishes among military brats.[58] One participant in Wertsch's study said, "The Military is a caste system... but it's better than some, because at least you mix with all races, so it's hard to be racist."[59] When military families go overseas, minority students rarely experience overt racism from their expatriate neighbors.[32] This sense is also true on military bases. Because the community is isolated and smaller than the off base community, military dependents are less likely to resort to racist notions.

Furthermore, because of the nature of the military, people of different races have to work together in situations where trust is absolutely necessary. This means that even if one does hold racist ideas, they kept them to themselves. Military brats thus grow up in a communities that actively condemned racist comments. This results in, according to Wertsch, military brats who "aren't just non-racist, but anti-racist." [9]

Sexism

See also: Sexism

The military remains one of the few places where institutional sexist attitudes still prevail. While women can be found on military bases, in many countries their role is that of a second class citizen. This is because since, in many countries, women cannot fulfill the ultimate purpose of the military, to fight in war, they serve in secondary support roles. The military woman, no matter how sharp, is limited in prestige and respect because of the military's bias for combat designations.[60]

Military daughters know this and often feel insignificant or invisible in the male dominated world of the military; they might feel as if they were born the wrong sex believing that their father really wanted a boy. Many female brats have responded to these lessons in different ways including low self-esteem, perfectionism, difficulty in dealing with male authority figures, extreme fragility, passivity, eating disorders, self-destructive behavior, and compensating by becoming a "warrior woman."[61]

File:Michael J. Fox.jpg
Michael J. Fox Famous Canadian Military Brat.

Reunited and reaching out

As adults, Third Culture Kids are trying to reunite with their brat heritage.[62] Organizations such as MilitaryBrat.Com and Overseasbrat.com have attracted over 100,000 members attempting to reconnect with their youth. A recent study identified several reasons why military brats, as adults, do this. Many brats feel a sense of euphoria when they discover that other brats share the same feelings and emotions, and thus many join to find "Others Like Me." Brats share a common bond with one another through common experiences; this bond transcends race, religion, and nationality. An American brat may have more in common with a British or Chinese brat than s/he does with his/her own countrymen. Another common theme behind people's joining brat organizations is to stay connected or reconnect with their old friends. Others join brat groups because they feel disconnected from civilian culture or want to be able to share their story with other brats who can appreciate their story.[63]

Instead of being spoken to by academics and others, military brats are starting to speak to their own communities through the internet and via media outlets. Filmmaker Donna Musil's "Brats - Our Journey Home," Michelle Ferguson-Cohen's "Books for Brats" and Babette Maxwell's "Military Spouse Magazine" are some of the adult military brats reaching out to their community. High profile military brats such as Michael J. Fox, Kris Kristofferson, Jessica Alba, Tiger Woods, Norman Schwarzkopf and Nelly are beginning to proudly wear the stamp of "brat".

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Mary Edwards Wertsch in Britten (1999)
  2. ^ Admiral Dennis C. Blair, Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Pacific Command defined brat as:The B stands for Brave, Bold, and Broadminded. Brats deal with new and exciting situations all the time, and learn quickly to accept people, regardless of race, color, creed, country of origin, or religion. The R stands for Resilient, Reliable, and Responsible. Brats bounce back from the turmoil inflicted upon them by their parents’ profession. The A stands for Amiable, Adaptable, and Audacious. Brats learn to make friends quickly in new moves, and to be daring when they have to be....The T stands for Tenacious, Tough, and Tolerant. Brats hang in there when the going gets tough, and they also stand up for the beliefs of others. They have the opportunity to be minorities themselves, sometimes by their race, but almost always as the new kids. Blair (2000) See talk page for more acronymns.
  3. ^ Williams, Rudi and also Williams (2002) p 79.
  4. ^ 32% feel as if they are only spectators on American life and another 48% do not feel as if they are central to any group. Jordan (2002) p 222.
  5. ^ Gregory House is, in many ways, the prototypical military brat. His advanced degree in medicine. His father with an "insane moral compass." His distrust of others. His having lived in multiple foreign countries and understanding multiple languages.
  6. ^ David Pollock describes a TCK as "A person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The TCK builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership of any. Although elements from each culture are assimilated into the TCKs life experience the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of a similar background." Both quoted in Leslie.
  7. ^ Williams p 78
  8. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 315
  9. ^ a b c d Williams, Rudi (2001) Cite error: The named reference "Special" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. ^ The American Journal of Psychiatry reported "Military people are seen by the nearby community as transients and are often targets of mistrust and hostility. Not only does this further insulate the [military] family and cause them to stay within the confines of the base, it presents a difficult situation for the children attending public school." quoted in Wertsch (1991) p 316-320
  11. ^ Cline (1995) p 26-30
  12. ^ Ender (2002) p xvii
  13. ^ Ender (2002) p xxv
  14. ^ Title 10 of the US Code Section 3583 "Requirement for Exemplary Conduct" in Bonn (2005) p 72.
  15. ^ Speach by Douglas MacAuthur
  16. ^ Bonn (2005) p 66-67.
  17. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 8
  18. ^ "Disciplinary tactics that are now considered abusive were a matter of parental prerogative for many years in both military and civilian families. Family discipline was a personal matter, to be handled behind the closed doors of the neat rows of houses on military posts, but the implication that fathers who fit into the orderly world of the military should be able to control small children was clear." Truscott (1989) p 106-107
  19. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 10-23
  20. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 30. "Military brats were aware that their behavior or misbehavior was a direct reflection on their parents, and specifically on their fathers." Truscott (1989) p 107
  21. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 31
  22. ^ Wertsch records numerous examples of this occurring in her book. Two of the more egregious examples: A "teenage boy committed the unpardonable sin of teeing off on the golf course at 5:00 p.m., while Retreat was being blown, instead of standing respectfully at attention as the base's flag was lowered for the day. An officer reported him, and his father got a call from high up in the base hierarchy. The incident went down on the father's permanent record. The same thing happens to another father whose twelve-year-old son knocked over a trash can in front of the base teen club. The son was picked up by the military police, who called not the father, but the father's commanding officer." Wertsch (1991) p 31.
  23. ^ Prior to 1987 Commanding Officers were required to comment on an officer's spouse on the officer's annual evaluation. Even though the spaces for spousal review were removed in 1987, "there is widespread feeling that a spouse's conduct is still taken into consideration and may influence a service member's career." Spouses were evaluated on how well behaved their children were and how clean they maintained their houses. Wertsch (1991) P 28.
  24. ^ Price also noted previous studies that showed that military brats had “a lower level of some childhood disorders such as Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD.)” Price (2002) p 44-45
  25. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 31-32
  26. ^ A military psychologist published an article in the American Journal of Psychology in which he concluded, "The parents who came to our [military] clinic used three methods of dealing with their children — authoritarian, democratic, and mixed, inconsistent way. Some of the parents who felt they were democratic were actually authoritarian or inconsistent when examined. As one might expect, the greatest number of behavioral disorders, nearly 93%, came from the authoritarian families." Quoted in Wertsch (1991) p 24.
  27. ^ O’Beirne (2002)
  28. ^ a b Wilson (2006)
  29. ^ Eakin (1996) p 66-67
  30. ^ Associated Press (2005) Among the Military Child Education Coalition's successes was an agreement in 2000 by the Army and Air Force to allow soldiers and airmen to stay in one place when they have children entering their senior year, except for wartime combat assignments.
  31. ^ Recent studies, however, have shown that mobility during the school year may be less traumatic than summer time moves. Ender (1996) P 145. “Despite the commonly held belief that summer moves are best for children, teens who moved during summer vacation seemed to experience particular difficulties… Their problem was that, with school out of session, it was very difficult to identify potential friends and begin to form relationships." Tyler (2002) p 27.
  32. ^ a b c d e f Eakin (U.S. Dept of State)
  33. ^ a b Williams (2002) p 68
  34. ^ a b Ender (2002) p 88-90
  35. ^ Dr. Frederic Medway, psychology professor at the University of South Carolina, in Rutz (2006)
  36. ^ Quigley (2006) and Pinzur (2000) and Kidd
  37. ^ Useem
  38. ^ a b Wood (2006)
  39. ^ "Towards the end of the Cold War, approximately 9 percent of enlisted soldiers and 31 percent of officers with more than fourteen years of service reported having moved with their spouse and/or children more than nine times." Ender (1996) p 131
  40. ^ "Generally, people in the Air Force have the least time away; those in the Navy the most. Navy personnel who go to sea have longer separations, but Army and Marine Corps have the most one-year unaccompanied tours. Air Force TDY's are short, but they are irregular, repeated, and frequently unscheduled." Cline (1995) p 223
  41. ^ Deployment Center
  42. ^ Wall (2003)
  43. ^ Kelley (2002) p 5
  44. ^ Britten (1998)
  45. ^ John Benson, PhD at Minnesota State University Moorhead in Benson (2004)
  46. ^ a b Williams (2002) p 69
  47. ^ "We all stopped, no matter what we were doing. And no matter where we were, no matter what foxhole we were hiding in, ... we stopped. "Retreat" would blare out from the loudspeakers all over the base. We could never see the flag; it was miles away. But we knew where it was, and like facing Mecca, everyone turned around and puts their hand over their heart, and stood there until the music stopped.... There was never even a comment about it, no matter what was going on. It just happened everyday." Truscott (1989) p 12
  48. ^ "Whenever and wherever the 'National Anthem', 'To the Colors,' or 'Hail to the Chief' is played outdoors, at the first note all dismounted personnel in uniform and not in formation, within saluting distance of the flag, face the flag, or the music if the flag is not in view, salute, and maintain the salute until the last note of the music is sounded... Vehicles in motion are brought to a halt. Persons riding in a passenger car or on a motorcycle dismount and salute." Bonn (2005) p 31
  49. ^ At Department of Defense schools students will say the Pledge of Allegiance
  50. ^ such as "The Son of God Goes Forth to War," "Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might," "Marching with Heroes," "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me," "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," and "Onward, Christian Soldiers." Wertsch (1991)p 2-4
  51. ^ "A 'good' military family is one that demonstrates in all things its submission to the ways of the Fortress. It is conventional. It is predictable. It conforms in appearance and behavior to what the Fortress expects. It obeys authority. It displays to the world what ought to be displayed. And it conceals the rest." Wertsch (1991) p 34
  52. ^ "Protocol is not intended to promote snobbery; it is a courtesy designed to recognize official status and give respect to those who, by their achievements, time in service, and experience, deserve it. And the exercise of that most certainly extends to spouses." Cline (1995) p 82
  53. ^ a b Wertsch (1991) 290
  54. ^ One interviewee said "You could always tell the son of the [Commanding Officer]. He was the football star, he had good grades." Wertsch (1991) p 297
  55. ^ "Privileges accorded by rank were highly visible... And all military brats, no matter where their father had fit in the hierarchy of rank, emphasized, over and over, that rank was pervasive and clearly defined." Truscott (1989) p 168
  56. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 285-288.
  57. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 314-315
  58. ^ This does not mean that racism doesn't exist among the military personnel themselves.
  59. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 297
  60. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 94
  61. ^ Wertsch (1991) p 107-130
  62. ^ Ender (2002) p XXVI.
  63. ^ Williams (2002) p 73-77

References

Resources for military brats
  • Military Brats Online, a free resource designed to reconnect military brats with each other.
  • Military Brats Registry, a free resource designed to reconnect military brats with each other.
  • Operation Footlocker. Three footlockers crisscross the country, going from one gathering of brats to another.
  • Third Culture Kids, a discussion on not only military brats but other "third culture kids" including Missionary Kids, Diplomatic Kids, etc.
  • Overseas Brats, a free resource designed to reconnect U.S. citizens who have attended school overseas.

Further reading

  • Books for Brats series. Described as "Dr. Seuss for Military Brats", the books are the first chidren's picture books written and illustrated for military brats by military brat Michelle Ferguson-Cohen.
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