The military kept me alive. If it was not for the military I do not know if I would be where I am today. Everyone thinks that if you join the military you receive great benefits and great pay and it will make life easier financially. While that may be the case for some, it is not for all. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the group that benefitted from the military. Sure, the moves were involuntary and the adjustments were hard, but the military kept us afloat. My household had many expenses. We had four active kids living in the house and my mom did not work. My dad had to provide for us all and he did that through the military. Everything was going well until my parents divorced and my mom took half of what my dad had. We went through costly custody battles and my dad paid for most of the expenses since my mom had a lower-paying job, and my dad offered. After those expenses were paid the military had me and my sister move to Hawaii with my dad. He was paying much higher rent rates and he had all of our medical bills to take care of. My mom did not pay child support like she was supposed to and my dad funded our extracurriculars and hobbies. My sister turned 18 and my dad had to buy her a car and pay for her insurance. He took all of the financial weight and it was only possible because of the military. The military paid well enough that we were not out on the streets. When my sister moved out we could even afford to move into a better home. Everyone has different experiences when it comes to the military. Some people hate it because it tears relationships apart. Some people love it because it pays well and they get to experience new places. I love the military. It is not perfect or flawless but it creates a sense of family and community. Wherever you go you can bond with other military children and adults. It keeps families afloat during hard times. When other jobs are firing their employees you know you can count on the military to have your back. My dad is still working hard and earning multiple degrees because of the military. It allows him to enroll in college classes at much cheaper rates. The military is an important aspect of my life and I do not know where I would be without it.