the army brat life

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Katie Olavarria

Professor Jan Rieman

English 1102

February 2, 2011

The Army Brat Life

Brandt defines sponsors as any agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract, who enable,

support, teach, model, as well as recruit, regulate, suppress, or withhold literacyand gain

advantage by it in some way (Brandt 407). Looking back on Brandts essay, Sponsors of

Literacy, and taking into account her definition of sponsors, I would have to say that my

greatest sponsors where my parents due to the Military Literacy I learned while they pursued

their careers. My parents were the most influential people to me growing up and not only did


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they teach me the things necessary to learn in life, but, they opened my eyes to a world bigger

than I could have imagined by introducing me to the military.

I say my parents gave me my military literacy, instead of the Army, because I never

joined the Army. I never went to Basic Training, I never worked my way up the ranks, I never

stayed out in the field doing drills for two weeks and I never deployed, however, the influence of

all these things going on around me was undeniable. Growing up as the child of a military

family, being an Army Brat as they called it, was its own separate experience entirely.

By the age of one I had already had more cultural experience than most of my fellow

peers have had today. The early years of my childhood were spent in South America were I

learned Spanish from the nanny my sister and I had. I saw sights that Ill never forget when our

schools took field trips to important historical locations, and I had priceless experiences like

taking boat rides through the Panama Canal. These Cultural experiences, however, arent the

only knowledge you gain; Cultural shocks or experiences are just the tip of the ice berg when it

comes to the Army Brat life. Living this lifestyle you pick up on things that you dont even

realize are different or specific to the military influence. I was so immersed in the military

lifestyle that I grew to know the difference between officers and the enlisted, to read ranks, to

know uniform regulation, and most importantly, to speak the lingo. The Army, along with the

rest of the military branches, have their own language. Acronyms make up half their vocabulary

and they even have their own specific way of telling time (1 oclock = 1300 hours, 2oclock

=1400 etc.) Besides learning military talk and rules this way of life teaches you a lot about

yourself.


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Being subjected to this lifestyle has helped me grow and challenge myself in ways that I

wouldnt have thought possible. Moving around seven times throughout my nineteen years of

life has taught me to be independent and pushed me to be social. Ive learned the importance of

teamwork through Soldier for a Day obstacle courses that I accomplished with other Army

Brats along with group work that the schools on base incorporate often within the classroom.

And, most importantly, Ive been enlightened and humbled by other cultures.

The experiences Ive gained while being surrounded by the military are priceless to me. I

love the Military lifestyle and the pace of life it offers, and to this day, never plan on leaving it.

This coming June I move to our next duty station in Ft. Drum, NY. This summer offers a new

chapter in my military literacy by giving me not only a new sponsor but a new point of view to

the lifestyle. I will no longer be an Army Brat sponsored by my parents time in the military but

instead an Army Wife sponsored by my Husbands new career. This change of sponsor and point

of view has me excited and nervous with the change of responsibility that will be coming way.

Im looking forward to these changes and new experiences though and anticipate another

possible switch of sponsor and point of view in a couple years- my own.

the army brat life

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