KITSAP NAVY NEWS
Page A14
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Friday, November 29, 2013
My feelings about Uncle Sam: It’s complicated People sometimes wonder if I love or hate being a military dependent. It’s a good question, and one I’ve asked myself. I’ve been known to write about things that drive me crazy about military life: deployments, frequent moves, seabags full of clothes that are ship-grey and smell like JP-5 (jet fuel). I’ve also been known to write about things I love about military life: most notably, the culture, unique experiences and relationships with other military families. If Facebook had a status update option for users’
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his clothes away in metal person, I’d scream that drawers. If I gave Dad a I hated it. Then I’d cry, picture to take on deploy- “You don’t care about me ment, it had to be secured at all, do you?” and slam to his desk or wall so that my door. it wouldn’t slide. I begged Dustin to get I didn’t second-guess out when his commitment any of this. It was just the was up. way it was. Thirteen years later, Then came what we’ll we’re still in the milicall my “teen years” with tary and nearing Dustin’s the military. Only, I wasn’t 20-year mark. There will a teen. I was in my 20s and always be things I don’t married to Dustin, anoth- understand or like about er military pilot. By then, the military (Detailers I could easily list all the really are blindfolded when ways in which the military they throw darts at a map, was dumb. aren’t they?), but, wow, the Not having female rest- military somehow, magirooms on the aircraft car- cally even, became smartrier? Dumb. Asking fami- er and less annoying now lies for their that I’m “top choice” not in for a duty stat ho s e tion and then “l can critize and “t e e n sending them complain about Uncle years” e l s e w h e r e ? Sam, but my heart w i t h Dumb. it anymore. Using tax- hurts when anyone payer dol- else does.” I lars to move – Sarah Smiley watched a family back my parents go and forth across the country when through a similar process: their “top choice” wouldn’t they were everything, have required transfer- then they got all weird, ring? Dumb, dumb, dumb. and then, when I turned By this point, the mili- 25, “suddenly” they were tary was something super smart again! Funny I couldn’t wait to put how those things happen, behind me. It was waste- huh? ful, demanding, annoying, Just the other day, as and so 1980s. I drove past the airport, If the military were a a Navy P-3 was about to takeoff. I actually pulled off the side of the road and watched from my car. I was surprised when I got a little teary. The aircraft seemed old, but it Let this special partnership keep you in touch with was familiar and looked Your community while you enjoy a great coffee drink! like “home” to me. It’s complicated. COUPON OF THE WEEK My feelings about the GIFT S E T military, much like my A IC CERTIF s E! feelings about my parents, L i B A IL A AV th can’t be teased out. They’re Buy n Fri. all mixed up in my childo hood, who I am, and how I view the world. At times the military has disappointed me, infurit ated me, and gotten in my Ge is *Whatever is available. Not valid with any other offer. h Limit one per customer. Expires 12/5/13 way. But it has always been T EE!* there. Always. A super combination for your morning: Let Caffé FR So, as this is the week Perfetto enhance your experience by giving you of giving thanks, it seems a FREE hot-off-the-press copy of the Bremerton *While supplies last appropriate to take time to Patriot with your coffee drinks every Friday! acknowledge the military ★ Open Every Day: M-F 4:30am-7pm, Sat 6am-6pm, Sun 7am-6pm for raising me, shaping ★ Hundreds of Torani Flavors including sugar free me, and, ultimately, always ★ Easy access on your way to the shipyard, ferry, Olympic providing for me and my College or the Hospital. family. ★ Big Train blended drinks & smoothies Yes, I get mad, but dear ★ Low carb options and kids drinks military, when you’re not ★ Italian sodas ★ Sereno Chai Organic Chai teas looking, I smile and whis2811 Wheaton Way • Bremerton •★360-981-0082 BREMERTON Choose from 8 to 32oz. drinks per “thank you.” Next to Black Angus 2811 Wheaton Way • Bremerton • 360-981-0082 Across from Albertson’s
feelings about the military, feelings about it, and while mine would be, “It’s com- I can criticize and complicated.” plain about Uncle Sam, To be fair, I don’t know my heart hurts when anywhat it’s like for people who aren’t military depenNavy Wise dents. I’ve been one since the day I was born. In fact, there only have been six weeks, between my college graduation and wedding, when I didn’t have a military identification card. During those six weeks, I broke my right leg. So that’s what I think about not being in the milSarah Smiley itary: I break things, and I don’t have insurance. I often view the mili- one else does (“Hey, that’s tary as a parent. I’ve gone ‘MY’ uncle you’re talking through cyclical,“Your childlike communityabout!”). theater” dad was an F-14 Free parking for ourMy guests. pilot. His office was located on an aircraft carrier or above a hangar. Until I was about 13 years old, when I NESTLE TOLL HOUSE saw a documentary about CHOCOLATE CHIP aircraft carriers on televiICE CREAM SANDWICH
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sion, I didn’t realize this was unusual to those outside of the military. Going to see my dad on the ship was, from what I can tell, like a civilian child going to see her dad in an office building. The distinct odor of steel mixed with JP-5 is as familiar to me as the antiques smell of the house I grew up in. When I smell anything vaguely similar — like the greasy handrails of old stairwells — it stops me in my tracks. I remember going to see my dad on the aircraft carrier before ships were made to accommodate women. There weren’t any female restrooms. For some reason, that always made an impression on me. I sat on Dad’s small bed and usually complained of needing to use the bathroom (of course!) while I watched mom put
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