thank me for my service I may not have enlisted I may not have made the choice to protect our freedom & I may not have chosen to sacrifice myself for something much greater than I am I still live by and support that choice every day Whether I want to or not I am a military brat thank me for my service Just a short notice and my dad can be pulled from me again Just a quick call and my dad is packing his things and filling up his tank I’ve watched my dad drive away to serve this country many times Every time it hurts just as much as the last You might say I don’t serve the way my dad does And that’s true But when my single dad leaves us to protect all the people in this country who don’t appreciate him and others like him, it hurts thank me for my service Me, just like any other person in a military family serves everyday we have to be away from our loved ones A 17-year-old raising her 13-year-old brother

My dad left for his deployment to Iraq only three days after my birth. Growing up, my dad came in and out of our home as he proudly served in the Army to protect the freedoms of everyone on American soil. Being young and leaning on the adults around me, I didn't fully comprehend the toll of being forcefully separated from my father. This was until I was about nine years old when my parents divorced and I moved in with my dad. Rarely seeing my mother, I had to become independent in the case that my dad was deployed. Surely, he was- multiple times. My dad has been currently deployed for 16 months. Even though he's a single parent, my dad's orders did not permit him to bring his family with him, so my brother and I were to stay home while he was away. Since we're older and have many obligations at school and around the community, it was the best option for us anyways. It was initially extremely difficult for my brother and I to get into a routine. Always being latch-key kids, I knew how to take care of us, only this time my dad would not be coming home after a long day at his civilian job. I’ve always been very independent and self-assured, however it wasn’t until my dad's current deployment that I’ve gotten to expand on my determination and prove that I’m much stronger than I might seem. It's been a long year and a half and it remains unknown when my dad will return home. Assuming all responsibilities, it is up to me to instill good morals in my brother. Not only that, but I have to do all the shopping, cook every meal of the day, and happily be the tooth fairy. Not giving up on my obligations, I've had to find a balance between essentially being a mother, the head of the household, and a teenager. Regardless, I have done my best to ensure that my brother and I continue to excel in school. Being alone has instilled a strong love for my family in me, being the woman and adult of the household I’ve grown to appreciate the position I’m in. My favorite thing to do is be home and fully immerse myself in my responsibilities to display the love I have for my family and show my dad I am capable of assisting him with his sacrifice.

My dad left for his deployment to Iraq only three days after my birth. Growing up, my dad came in and out of our home as he proudly served in the Army to protect the freedoms of everyone on American soil. Being young and leaning on the adults around me, I didn't fully comprehend the toll of being forcefully separated from my father. This was until I was about nine years old when my parents divorced and I moved in with my dad. Rarely seeing my mother, I had to become independent in the case that my dad was deployed. Surely, he was- multiple times. My dad has been currently deployed for 16 months. Even though he's a single parent, my dad's orders did not permit him to bring his family with him, so my brother and I were to stay home while he was away. Since we're older and have many obligations at school and around the community, it was the best option for us anyways. It was initially extremely difficult for my brother and I to get into a routine. Always being latch-key kids, I knew how to take care of us, only this time my dad would not be coming home after a long day at his civilian job. I’ve always been very independent and self-assured, however it was not until my dad's current deployment that I’ve gotten to expand on my determination and prove that I’m much stronger than I might seem. It's been a long year and a half and it remains unknown when my dad will return home. Assuming all responsibilities, it is up to me to instill good morals in my brother. Not only that, but I have to do all the shopping, cook every meal of the day, and happily be the tooth fairy. Not giving up on my obligations, I've had to find a balance between essentially being a mother, the head of the household, and a teenager. Regardless, I have done my best to ensure that my brother and I continue to excel in school. Being alone has instilled a strong love for my family in me, being the woman and adult of the household I’ve grown to appreciate the position I’m in. My favorite thing to do is be home and fully immerse myself in my responsibilities to display the love I have for my family and show my dad I am capable of assisting him with his sacrifice.

My dad left for his deployment to Iraq only three days after my birth. Growing up, my dad came in and out of our home as he proudly served in the Army to protect the freedoms of everyone on American soil. Being young and leaning on the adults around me, I didn't fully comprehend the toll of being forcefully separated from my father. This was until I was about nine years old when my parents divorced and I moved in with my dad. Rarely seeing my mother, I had to become independent in the case that my dad was deployed. Surely, he was- multiple times. My dad has been currently deployed for 16 months. Even though he's a single parent, my dad's orders did not permit him to bring his family with him, so my brother and I were to stay home while he was away. Since we're older and have many obligations at school and around the community, it was the best option for us anyways. It was initially extremely difficult for my brother and I to get into a routine. Always being latch-key kids, I knew how to take care of us, only this time my dad would not be coming home after a long day at his civilian job. I’ve always been very independent and self-assured, however it wasn’t until my dad's current deployment that I’ve gotten to expand on my determination and prove that I’m much stronger than I might seem. It's been a long year and a half and it remains unknown when my dad will return home. Assuming all responsibilities, it is up to me to instill good morals in my brother. Not only that, but I have to do all the shopping, cook every meal of the day, and happily be the tooth fairy. Not giving up on my obligations, I've had to find a balance between essentially being a mother, the head of the household, and a teenager. Regardless, I have done my best to ensure that my brother and I continue to excel in school. Being alone has instilled a strong love for my family in me, being the woman and adult of the household I’ve grown to appreciate the position I’m in. My favorite thing to do is be home and fully immerse myself in my responsibilities to display the love I have for my family and show my dad I am capable of assisting him with his sacrifice.