SquawkRadio Comments

I’m not a military brat, but I’m a military wife...the one thing I love about it is seeing all these different places that I probably never would have.  If I hadn’t married into the military, I’d probably still be in the same town I was born in, instead of here on this tiny little island in Japan, where I get to make new friends and experience a different culture!  And that’s what my son gets to do too!

Oh, that sounds like a wonderful book, Liz.  I’m going to order it right away

That book sounds so familiar; I’m not sure if I read it or something really similiar.  I’m going to have to look for it at the library to see.  (I can’t remember titles very well.)

I’m a total army brat, to the point of not wanting to marry into the military.  I have nothing but respect for military wives, but it wasn’t the life I wanted, having lived it my entire childhood.  I was born in Germany, and lived there in the late 60s-early 70s, which was great since my mom’s family was there.  One thing that I really remember from those days is the fear of my dad going to Vietnam (which I know your dad did, Teresa!) because so many dads didn’t come home. 

I was also really lucky in that I lived in the same place for 8 years and was able to graduate from high school with close friends - unlike my older brother.  I’m really happy that my children are growing up around extended family, which is what I missed the most as child. 

April - you sound like you’re doing a great job and your son will love his new experiences.  My attitude is so colored by the fact that my mom loathed being a military wife.

Liz, I haven’t read this book, but I’ll have to check it out soon.  I’m not a military brat, but I am a military wife.  We’ve been blessed to live overseas twice--Bahrain and Italy--and it was a wonderful experience.  I’m always sad to leave my friends when we move, but making new ones and keeping in touch with the old is part of my life. 

My DH is retiring in June after 21 years in the Navy.  We’ll make our final move to our new home in the mountains of northwestern NC.  It will seem odd not to move every 2-3 years, but we are looking forward to putting down roots.  Our children will be especially happy not to leave their friends behind again.

Hey Liz, you can always re-gift a book, can’t you?
My dad was Army during the Korean War, but I wasn’t around yet!
-Another military wife, here, too, and like Gannon, my Hub will retire, Marine Corps in June, after 27 (!) years!
-We spent 3 years in Iwakuni, Japan, near Hiroshima, and I loved and hated it! A very small base, with lots of small-town ideas..but good friends.
-My daughter was born at Yokosuka Navy base, and we flew in and out of Yokota (the AF. base there)..did not get to visit the O. club! (did at Yokosuka, though!)
-This looks great, Liz, what book did you get your mom? 

And I absolutely LOVED living on the military base at Ft. Bragg, N.C.  We lived in an old neighborhood that had been built in the 1920’s.  All of the houses were stucco with red-tile roofs.  There were old-fashioned sidewalks in front of the houses and alleys behind where you could play kickball.  And there was a big park right in the middle of the neighborhood.  It truly was a children’s paradise--like something out of a kid’s book.

I married an air force brat (only child too) and he was in Okinawa and Japan just to name a few. Their biggest adventure was in Greece when a native threatened my husband who was an infant and his mother took out a revolver during a court hearing and probably would have shot him if not stopped. He has some Congo stories too. Maybe he should write a book lol.

Hi Liz,

I’m not an army brat, but several of my girlfriends now grew up in that atmosphere. I listen to their stories of living in different spots around the world.  I always find them fascinating since I’ve never left the country.

I do know what it’s like to move a lot.  By the time I was a senior, we had moved 13 times in five different states.  We were always called the gypsies of the family.  LOL.  It must be in my blood, because I have kept up with the tradition in my adulthood.  I’ve moved 7 times.

I was a militery wife until my hubs decided to try civillian life after 10 years. I miss the sense of community each base we lived on had. There werre wonderful programs for the children and family members of the militery whether deployed or not. Also, I miss seeing all the different places, from where we grew up. *sigh* I miss it, but Hubs in happy for now , though he is thinking aobut the reserves.

Yes, Carolyn, my dad did two tours of Vietnam--a year when I was four and a year when I was six.  We were stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY at the time but lived off post.

That may be why those years in North Carolina seemed like the Wonder Years to me.  We moved to Ft. Bragg right after he got back from his last tour and were there for 5 years.

Ya know, I started married life as a military wife, but we lived off-base, so I never really felt too military. Though it was very nice being part of such a close-knit group. (And the Coast Guard, being so small, is especially close-knit.) My husband stayed in the reserve for 16 years, Brandy, and only recently retired. He really liked it.

Ms. Mary, my mom got a Debbie Macomber, which she enjoyed very much. And I’ve since loaned her YOKOTA, too.

Prudence, I would have loved your nomadic lifestyle. I BEGGED my parents to move throughout my childhood, but I lived in the same house until I got my own apartment at 21.

So, Gannon, how was that Valentine’s Day? 

Teresa, I lived in Fort Campbell in 1966-1968 - what years were you there?

Actually, I spoke with my dad earlier and he was telling me about Korea.  One thing he said, that I have to agree with, is that even though it wasn’t always easy, he wouldn’t have changed his time in the Army.  I really do feel the same way - being an Army brat has made me who I am!

Okay, this is a little weird.  My verification word is military58 - my dad joined the army in 1958.

Just a wife here too! Hey Liz, your husband was a Coastie? My ex is still active and my hubby is retired. And yeah, very small group that makes it great! Everywhere we go, we have friends.
I also lived both literally and socially on the economy. I enjoyed meeting the locals and becoming part of new communties regularly. Now, with kids 6&8, my husband refuses to do any job that doesn’t allow him to come home every night!

Cool, Cara! I bet we’re only separated by one or two degrees of separation. My husband often goes to Fred’s Place on the web to keep up with people, and it’s amazing how often his colleagues overlap in their assignments, showing up in places where he or one of his friends has already been.

That home-at-night thing is definitely A Very Good Thing. Though I must say, seeing my hubby only five days out of fifteen the first year of our marriage (he was assigned to a cutter) is probably what kept us from succumbing to the stress of that first year. We were always so happy to see each other, we didn’t have time to argue. 

Liz, my Valentine’s Day was perfect! 

This sounds like a great book, Liz.  I really like that the narrator’s last name is Root, yet her family moved from base to base.  Looks like I have another TBB to add to my list.

Dear Liz, Thank for your lovely comments about “Yokota.” I’m so grateful that a friend of mine is in this group and mentioned it to me. 
And a big shout out to all my fellow dependents!
Also, big score to Santa for making the link between the last name Root and their utter rootlessness.  I was surprised that no reviewer picked up on that. 
I’m going to go look for some good book recommendations now.  And, Liz, if you will send me your address, I’d be honored to ship you a copy of new novel, “The Flamenco Academy,” a BIG change of pace from “Yokota” and even bigger from my novels before that one which all tended to be comic.

All my best from Austin to SquawkRadio, Sarah