Military personnel and military families – are relatives, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. You engage with them and see them every day.
Nevertheless, they are unique from other people in one particular way. The cause is best described as a lack of ties and respect for one another’s lifestyles. People who serve in the military or belong to military families, have a unique sociological subculture which is recognized throughout history.
The reason is that children and military families face many types of challenges that civilian families may never experience. Now, this does not suggest that one is superior to the other. But, our aim is to make people realize the daily resilience and issues that military families face.
For this reason, let us discuss some facts about military families and children.
1. They Acquire VA Benefits
Military personnel is exposed to danger and dangerous elements daily. So, the government has some VA benefits for them and their families. These benefits are designed to ease the financial difficulties of military personnel and their families during and after service.
2. Deployments Are Difficult For Military Families
It may seem like military families have a great life, and deployments don’t affect them much. Still, the truth is that deployments can be really difficult.
Being a military spouse or parent means they must stay away from their families for up to 18 months. Not onluy that, but live in a dangerous and unsafe environment.
So, it’s months of staying away from spouses and not getting to see their children grow. It means that the children have to adjust to a single parent, and their mother or father are away, missing important life events.
As hard as life is during deployment, it doesn’t get easier when they return. It takes some adjusting to the family when military personnel returns home. The kids have matured and adapted to having a only a single parent during that time.
To summarize, deployments are hard on everyone and never easy to deal with.
3. Military Kids Are Always The New Kids
Statistics show that military families relocate up to 10x more than civilians. In fact, they usually move every two to three years. As a result, military children, commonly known as military brats, must change numerous schools till high school.
There are some established military communities where these families can find support when they move. However, it is still disorienting for a child when they have to move so often. It can be challenging for their social life, mental health, behavior and academic performance.
Hence, being from a military family means you’re always the new kid. You rarely have long-lasting friendships because you move around so much.
However, as challenging as it is, it also means that military families get to live all around the country. Some lucky ones even live in several different countries. As a result, they become experts at adjusting to new places.
4. A Military Wife Will Change Jobs Often
Being a military wife means moving around the country or world every two years. It means that if they’re working, they have to switch jobs.
This aspect of their life can hinder professional growth. In fact, it may become a major issue when applying for work at established organizations.
It is the reason that several companies avoid hiring a military personnel’s spouse. Because the company knows that they will leave in a short time period.
Therefore, it can be extremely difficult to maintain a career while moving around so much. It can severely limit the job pool for a military wife.
Read also: Work At Home: More Time For Your Family
5. Balance Is Difficult To Find
It can be extremely difficult to choose between work and family as military personnel. Because, on one hand are the people they love, and on the other hand they are serving their country.
Therefore, when a person joins military services, it is said that their families also join it.
6. More Likely To Experience Mental Health Issues
Service members who worked in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq are more likely to experience mental health problems. These include depression, PTSD, acute stress and anxiety.
However, children belonging to military families are at higher risk of trauma and mental health-related issues because of their situation.
It is partly due to the feeling of sadness associated with deployment. Each time they send off a parent, they have to accept they may never see them again.
On the other hand, moving around so frequently can isolate them from their peers. Without adequate social and mental support, they can fall victim to depression.
7. Military Children Are Resilient
The University of Texas conducted a survey that showed that military children tend to have healthy relationships with other people. This is despite moving around so much and going through the trauma of deployments.
They grow more tolerant, respectful of authority and are resourceful. This is because they face numerous challenges during their childhood years.
These challenges shape them as a person and make them more resilient. As a result, they are quick to adapt to any situation.
8. They’re Called Brats For A Reason
“Brats” is a term of endearment and a minimum of a century old. It originated when the family of British soldiers had to travel alongside the troops in 1921.
They were called the British Regiment Attached Travelers (BRAT), which became a term for the children of military personnel. Since then, the name has stuck.
Conclusion
Military families and military children face unique challenges that most civilians don’t. For this reason, they have a subculture that defines their personalities and family dynamics.
While this doesn’t suggest that military families are better than civilians, it just shows how humans adapt under unique and difficult circumstances. For this reason, military families and military children and especially a military wife grow to be more disciplined and resilient.
Our super author here at Famous Parenting and an absolute wealth of knowledge. She has studied many topics including creative writing, psychology and journalism but her real passion lies in raising her 3 children. Between working from home, homeschooling her youngest 2 children and navigating the world of teenagers she is a guru for parents.
