The Story of a Military Teen
This past August my family attended my dad’s mobilization ceremony in La Grande, Oregon. I think it was one of the most emotional and toughest times in my life that I can remember. It was very hard sitting there with my dad knowing that these were the last minutes I would be spending with him for 13 months. In the back of my head I also thought that there is a slim chance that this could be the last time I visit with my dad. I hope that he doesn’t have to deploy again, because I don’t want to go through the emotions I did, once more. When he was away at AT it was weird at my house, not having a father figure around. Even though sometimes I get annoyed with him, I like the structure he gives me, and with him gone, my mom has to play dad. My mom has a lot to do being a single parent for a year, and taking care of three kids, she tries her hardest, but no matter what it’s still not the same with my dad gone and it won’t be the same until he comes home. Along with my mom having to do a lot more, us kids have to as well. My brother and I work hard to do all that she asks because we know she can’t do everything alone.
January of this year we moved from Kirkland, Washington to Salem, Oregon. My dad got a permanent change of station. This was another tough time that I had to go through. I lived in Washington for 4 years, and I had built really strong relationships with friends. I was very involved in my school, and I had built a lot of trust with my teachers and principals. Moving made me start totally fresh at a new school, new city, new people, new everything. I was in junior high in Washington, and when I moved to Oregon in the middle of the year I was in high school. This was a huge transition for me. I was used to being the top dog in the school with 7th and 8th graders, and being respected. When I moved to Salem I was the under-under classman, and I wasn’t respected being a ‘freshman’. I didn’t know a single person when I got there, and that was very hard considering I am very talkative, and in Washington there wasn’t a minute that went by that I wasn’t talking to a friend. Moving was also hard because there was so much to do to make it happen. From cleaning my old house and making sure everything that was being packed I wanted, to unpacking, and cleaning my new house.
I am very proud of my dad for being in the military. He is fighting for our country as we speak, and I know he does a great job. I am also proud that he took on this huge responsibility. He would rather save many lives fighting for our country, and then do the average person’s job just saving his own life.
The majority of my friends know that my dad is in the military. I have stickers and posters on my binder of him and the military, and I’m always wearing National Guard clothes. At first a few of my friends didn’t know what to think, some thought a parent in the military would be really strict and not like anyone, others didn’t think they were any different than a non-military parent. Now that my friends know my dad and have met him several times they really like him.
Some of my teachers know that my dad is in the National Guard. I have done speeches on the National Guard before, and we had a digital billboard of a picture of my immediate family up that said “we will miss you SFC Carter” So I had a lot of teachers telling me that they saw it. I think they should know these things because they could help if I was having trouble in class, or breaking down, and they would understand why and what was happening.
I think there should be more opportunities for military teens to get to know each other. Like events, camps, dinners, etc. It would be nice to get to know people that are going through the same thing that you are. For example: The Operation Purple Camp.
Being a military teen is a wonderful experience to go through. It makes you stronger mentally. You get to see a whole different side of things. The opportunities that I get through my dad from the military are endless.
I like being involved in the military as a teen. I know that’s very vague, but there is so much I get to do because of the military. The people you get to meet are some of the most amazing people I have ever met, there are also people that I have met and made strong friendships with.
I would like to let other military teens know that they aren't the only ones out there going through a tough time. Also about the opportunities that are out there for them, or if they are trying to find things that the military is offering to them, I would be there to help them find what they are looking for. Also to let them know that there are people out there like me that would love to help them through a deployment, and help them with any struggles that are going on as a military teen. Also give them advice, or tell them how I got through tough times being a military teen.
With love,
Pttting ting ting. (My nickname from my dad)
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