Twitter
Facebook
Military life is a challenge. Packing up and moving every few years,
multiple deployments, and saying goodbye to friends and family can be rough.
Now, add on the stress of homework, chores, sports and extra-curricular activities and you’ve got the life of a military brat.
The U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern Chaplain’s Office understands the pressure the military puts on its youngest members and is doing something about it.
On March 9, more than 40 children and teens gathered at the Pulaski Religious Youth Center for this year’s “Celebrating Brat Life” event.
The fun-filled day was just one part of the three day “Strengthening Resilience in Soldiers & Families” program, put on by the Chaplain’s Office.
Becky Powell, the garrison’s director of religious education, started the program in 2009 as a way of helping military children and teens understand and celebrate their identities, she said.
The kids played games and discussed the challenges of being a military child. They also learned coping techniques to help them get through moves, deployments and having to say goodbye to family and friends.
This year’s guest speaker was Paulette Bethel, a licensed marriage and family therapist, psychotherapist and retired U.S. Air Force officer. Ms. Bethel encouraged the children to open up about their feelings – good and bad – toward military life.
“A lot of times children have feelings that they don’t express. Sometimes they don’t know that they can share those feelings,” Ms. Bethel said. “A lot of times, they’re afraid that if they say how they’re really feeling then that might get them in trouble.”
Tara Deck, a seventh grade student at Kaiserslautern Middle School, knows all too well how difficult the life of a military brat can be.
“I’m moving in June and on the inside I’m really hiding that I’m going to miss everybody and it’s like, ‘oh keep the emotions in,’” she said. “Because you’re just going to move in three years again, I think I’ve been able to put a shell up around the inside of myself and not get so personal with friends.”
That’s why the event on Pulaski was helpful, Tara said.
Sage Isala, a freshman at Kaiserslautern High School, said she’s glad this type of program is available to military brats.
“Kids of all ages can get something out of it, especially the younger kids who aren’t as used to brat life,” Sage said. “It’s good for them to talk about how brat life isn’t always bad. You can benefit from it.”
