Being in the military for 20 years can severely affect the relationship of the wife and husband, as well as the children. The following is an excerpt from Kalee S., a military brat who is sixteen years old. Kalee resides in a military town, Havelock NC, home to the largest air station for the United States Marine Corp.


Emily: Where have you moved as being a military child?

Kalee: I was born in California. We moved to North Carolina, then NY, and then back to NC. Now, we’re moving to Maryland when I graduate.

Emily: How hard was it when your dad went overseas?

Kalee: It was hard, but you know we got through it. We got to see him through the Marine video conference thing set up. We got to see him four times overseas. We got to talk a lot over the phone, and we emailed him.

Emily: Was it hard on your mother?

Kalee: It was really hard on my mom. She was really depressed sometimes, and there were certain times where I thought she was stretched all over the place with all the things we have going on at my house. I had to drive a lot because she was just too stressed, and it was the first time my dad has been gone since I was born. And now there are four of kids, I’m the oldest, so it was really hard on my mom.

Emily: Are you going to be sad to leave North Carolina?

Kalee: Yes, I don’t want to leave. I love Havelock, and I plan on staying here to go to college. I want to get the Teaching Fellows scholarship and attend East Carolina University, which is in Greenville, NC.




Emily: Is your dad going to have to leave again?

Kalee: No, he’s retired. He retired on New Years Eve of 2007. It’s a lot better on my family, but the only reason he lives in PAX River is because it’s a really good paying job. He does the same thing he does in the military, and gets paid better.

Emily: What would you say to someone who doesn’t understand the life of a military family?

Kalee: My dad fights because it is always something that he wants to do. He joined the military to fight for our freedom. My favorite thing about being in a military family is that I hear the sound of freedom every time a jet flies by.