Army Brats - With all the pros and cons, I wouldn't change it for anything.

07. A friend #1

03. My experience growing up as an army brat

01. Introduction

Contents

02. PromptThe starting point of asking people about their experiences

05. My siblings

09. A friend #2

11. 3 brothers

19. Raising army brats

21. A glossary of army terms/slang

15. Generational army brats - A father

17. And a son

Family history of military connections

07.

ARMY BRAT or: pad brat, ankle biter (noun) - Nickname for a child of 1 or more parents who serve or have served in the Army.

Growing up as an army brat is a unique and interesting experience, shared by so many but understood by so few.

It is something that has shaped and continues to shape so many people across generations.

In this piece, I have spoken to a number of different people about their childhoods to get a full understanding of what it means to grow up in this way.

I have then captured these experiences in a card game to allow our civi peers to experience a little of what we mean when we call ourselves ‘army brats’.

01.

Prompt

I’m focusing on the experience of growing up as an army brat. It is so unique in a civi world but when you talk to others who grew up in the same way you realise we are all on the same page.

I personally have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. With all of its pros it has cons too, but I wouldnt trade it up for anything.

I was wondering how you felt about it all? how many places have you lived and where? How do you think it developed your character? pros and cons? ectect...

02.

GERMANY

ENGLAND

Me

Over the past few years I have really started to reflect on my upbringing and have been able to atribute alot of that experience to the type of person that I am today.

As a child it’s all you know. All your friends and family are on the same page and it’s just life. It’s when you move to civvie street that you come to realise it’s a very unique experience.

I had lived in 9 houses and 3 countries by the age of 12Gutersloh, Bielefeld, Munster, Paderborn (Germany), Muscat (Oman) x2, Bordon x3 Before I was born my parents lived in Tiworth and Bordon with my older brother Charles.

A lot of people move around for different reasons but it’s the army way of doing things that makes it so unique.

You march in to a new home, similar ugly carpet, curtains and magnolia walls. you move all your furniture in, start a new school, make all new friends, life as usual. And before you know it you march out again and onto the next place - same sofas, new adventure. It definitely shaped me who I am. I love making new friends, and I am very good at it. I am comfortable with change, and welcome it. I crave adventure and new experiences.

But there are obviously challenges to every experience. It was a struggle saying goodbye so many times. The hardest move was the one after Dad left the army; from Bordon to our own house in Gosport. We had been in Bordon for a good chunk of time and I was at an age where the friends I had, meant alot to me. Leaving them behind and moving to a place with a ‘small town mentality’, to a school where you have to push yourself into friendship groups that formed in preschool was hard. I dread to think that my childhood friends have moved on, someone I once called my best friend, having forgotten about me.

Even though I still think about them so fondly, they may not think about me as much more than a passer by.

I do always think about how far around the world I could get sofa surfing with friends! I know that army brats will always be happy to reconnect. But to walk down the street and see someone I met at age 5, is just never going to happen.

I consider myself so lucky. With all the pros and cons I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I feel my upbringing has made me aware of the world. I’ve got to see so much that so many people haven’t. I’ve met such a breadth of people from all different backgrounds and feel more open-minded for it.

03.

Me (Millie, age 21), Charles (age 25), and Maddison (age 18) We grew up with Dad in the ArmyHe served 24 years as an Armourer ‘87-’11 and left as WO1 ASM

OMAN

04.

Charles

I feel like the constantly being moved around has been beneficial and detrimental.

Benefits; I feel as though I am a well travelled and open minded person due to the forced attribute of adaptation.

I remember at one point, we moved 3 times within 30 months, and so becoming the ‘new kid’ at school and having to drop friendships like a stone was a norm. This is likely damaging due to the sheerness that comes with the instant end to a relationship, but also hardening in the way that I am 100% confident I will be able to forge new relationships/friendships wherever my next ‘posting’ will be.

I feel much more mature around my friends and peers of my age, and also show more discipline. Be it from extra curricular hobbies or purely through the constant requirement to stay open and calm about new and socially dangerous environments, those hobbies wouldn’t have been possible without the inevitable shifting around the world. I find it easy to make friends, I find it easy to talk to the opposite sex, I find it easy to fight my corner when in the obvious losing corner (workplace for example), and generally am outgoing. I feel very compassionate and sensitive, possibly a genetic trait, but empathy is easy to acquire when you are trying to empathise with yourself about routinely losing your geographical and social ‘world’ from the ages of 0-16.

Detriments; I feel I have been shortchanged on a childhood somewhat. The longest friendships I have currently are with people I don’t talk to often, which some may say don’t count, but if they are other army brats they usually understand the same ‘pick up where we left off’. Many of my friends still have friends and girlfriends whom they’ve known for 20 years, been in the same postcode and went to the same school as their parents. I can see life from their point of view, but often they can’t from mine - I feel. Many of my peers and friends I think lack an empathy of sorts, and many of them seem undriven and ‘comfortable’. My best friend in the world Tom has only just moved bedroom for the first time in his life at 26, only left the country 4 times, and two of them were because I dragged him along. Sometimes I feel isolated in my yearn for adventure and drive, always almost begging my ‘normal’ friends to explore.

The relationship I have with my Dad seems to have suffered for it. I don’t know actually if it is due to the moving etc, but I feel uncomfortable around him. I feel like we can’t possibly be friends. I feel a massive pressure to be his great first male child, as many do. I feel beta around him as his very confidence translates to arrogance in my mind, likely due to his own great achievements and wealth of adventures.

05.

Regardless of what has caused this rift, every single issue or accolade in my life is caused and is an effect of my fomrmative years as a nomad. I’m only grateful for the good and bad times, and if it comes sprinkled with some anxiety or ‘daddy issues’ then I’ll take it. Everyone I know has these issues anyway, so I may be winning in fact.

There’s not much I would change about my childhood, as hindsight is a great key to wisdom and makes me realise that I am actually incredibly lucky for both the great experiences and the life tools I’ve gained from the bad ones.

Maddz

For me I barely remember but I remember that when Dad would go away I remember crying every time and it was really sad for me but I think when I was growing up I was getting used to it. I don’t think it has effected my future because Dad had to help the Army and I think everyone is proud The pro’s could be that he’s looking after our country and and looking after himself and friends and a Con could be, worried that he could come home late and injured.

06.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Kiera ENGLAND

No I’m exactly the same! I have only had 13 addresses, in 10 places. At the time I found it difficult moving every 3 years and being so young. But looking back now, I miss it so much and I took it for granted. The opportunities we get are second to none and trying to explain it to any civvie would be impossible. But I’ve never found another army brat who wouldn’t help when we needed.

Yes exactly! can you name the 10 places out of interest? Your Dad’s still in isnt he? So you’ve been in it alot longer than I was! Do you think it impacts how you see your future? I know for me I have no interest in settling anywhere, no plans on where i’d like to live or work because I’m of the mindset that the wind will take me anywhere and I crave that adventure.

I also always struggle with the ‘where are you from?’ question how about you?

Salisbury, Tidworth, Chester, Northern Ireland x2, Germany x2, Church Crookham, Bordon, Bristol, Bordon and Retford!

- They are the ones I can remember.

My future- I don’t want to settle in one place because I’d be too bored! I want some military in my future aswell. I think it impacted education because we had to work harder to keep the grades up.

Family wise, you form an unspeakable bond with people. You can go years without speaking and then when you see them again it’s like nothing ever changed!

That question- I HATE IT! Do they mean, where I was born?

Where I live now? Where I lived the longest? Where my parents are from?

07.

And when you say you aren’t from anywhere, they ask “no but where are you actually from?” People don’t get it! But we can form roots anywhere! I think this lifestyle has given us amazing social skills aswell.

GERMANY

I was really young in NI. But it was when everything was kicking off with the IRA. We had to live on camp and be escorted to school. We weren’t allowed to leave camp without Dad signing a weapon out. I remember once when we were on a ferry going back over and the IRA tried to kidnap my dad!

One of the army houses had rats in aswell! The hardest move for me was to Bristol. There were no army houses left so we had to live on a civvie street and it was so hard because the sense of community wasn’t the same.

On a patch, the wives and kids understand what it’s like to or part of the world and it’s so much easier to make friends. We struggled in Bristol because people didn’t understand our life and judged us for moving around so much. We were only there for a year and then moved back to Bordon. It became so much easier, When Dad was sent to Afghan all the wives checked in on Mum and my friends understood Dad being away. I found it hard when my civvie friends where upset about their parents being away for 3 days because that was normal for us? I couldn’t explain to them what it’s like to go 9 months without. I’m definitely an extrovert which I think is due to our upbringing

Keira Heron (age 21) Grew up with Dad in the ArmyHe has served 26 years as Combat Med Tech ‘95-present currently a WO2 and plans to serve until 2025

08.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

ESSEX

WILTSHIRE

HAMPSHIRE

09.

Chelsie

I think overall, I’m grateful for the experience. Myself, and the majority of AB’s, seem to be very self-assured, confident, friendly and independent.

I think a lot of that came from how we grew up and the community we surrounded ourselves with. It certainly gave me a love for close-knit groups and loyalty in relationships with family and friends. That’s the biggest pro!

It also meant that I got to see so much of the world, grow up with good values, learnt so many skills that civi-kids dream of, and I have friends all over the world that I keep in touch with. Having a parent leave for duty definitely showed me the value of staying in touch with people.

I have lived in Chelsea, Woolwich, Feltham, Bramcote, Basildon, Billericay, Bordon, Andover, Tidworth, Billericay, Ramsden Heath, Southampton, Rochford!

It also influenced my work - I think I wouldn’t have been as motivated to help people, to become a firefighter and understand laying down your life for another.

Cons - changing schools every bloody year! I absolutely LOVE making friends and luckily, I never had any issues being the new girl. But the process of learning new rules, new times, new teachers and so on was tough, especially as I got older and the groups of friends had already formed. The move back into civi street was hard I couldn’t understand why we couldn’t just go play like we could on base because ‘it wasn’t safe’ or understand why the whole street weren’t close knit friends. The first time I moved to a ‘normal’ school where I was the only AB, it was the shock of a lifetime. I struggled to match their routine, navigate friendships and experiences and if I was feeling down because my Mum or Dad were away on tour, nobody could relate to me.

Chelsie (age 21) Grew up with Mum, Dad and Step Dad in the ArmyMum served as a reserve for the territorial army.

Dad served 25 years as Radio Telegraphist ‘83-’08 and left as a Captain for Royal Sigs Step Dad served 25 years as a Recovery Mechanic‘89-’14 and left as WO2

Both your parents served? I think that passed my memory but that must be a whole other story Yes and there was no empathy for that kind of thing like there was at Bordon.

The biggest con is having a parent go away for months. Very proud of them but it’s hard when it feels like they missed out on ‘big moments’ in your childhood. That sticks with you. You feel angry that everyone else’s parents manage to be there but yours can’t. It doesn’t matter that there’s a reason, you’re a kid and you don’t understand.

I always remember the Godfrey’s Mum coming to the school play to watch me because both of mine were away with the army.

I think it’s so cool you’re doing your project on this. It’s definitely been a defining factor in so many lives!

10.

Jamie

Same love and hate for me. Although I wouldn’t trade it for the world a part of me wishes I had lived in one place and grew up with friends there so I always had somewhere to go back to.

Now in the army myself and my Mum and Dad living apart there isn’t a solid foundation for me. Such as where to buy a house or to go on weekends.

Pros - my ability to adapt to situations.

Especially when meeting other pad brats they usually are very neutral and seem to fit in with any group and environment there put it. The people I have met and places I have lived, I feel like I was a lot move experienced and grown up the other people my age.

Thankyou very much. Do you keep in touch with your friends from all over?

Not too much. With working and moving a lot I don’t have much time to see anyone, however when I speak to any mates that were pad brats it doesn’t matter how long it’s been we get on straight away like it was only yesterday we spoke.

Thats really lovely. Which would you say was the hardest move for you growing up and why?

I’d say from Germany back to England. Just because of my age at the time (13/14). Also it was just a very different experience living in Germany compared to living in England.

11.

Connor

Me personally I’ve loved it. I think it’s taught me so much about making new friends and keeping in contact with people from a young age. It’s definitely inspired my travel urge as well, having never really settled anywhere I just want to keep exploring, compared to a lot of people who enjoy living where they are for the rest of their lives. I’ve lived around 6 different places, mostly in Germany such as- Monchengladbach, Sennelager, Gutersloh (born in the neighbouring town Bielefeld) and Paderborn to name a few. For me there aren’t many cons, I know you can say it sucks moving around and Dad being away on tour but they never really affected me negatively. I now only really see them as positive experiences that have made me who I am today!

I know Bordon Junior School had a majority army background but what about Eggars Secondary?

Going to a majority civi school when I moved to Gosport was really weird! Noone knew what mufti day meant!

Yeah Eggars was the same, there were only really a handful of army students in the whole year. To be honest I don’t really have that many army friends now but the ones I do are probably the closest friends I have like you, Will, Nisant and Amir.

What would you saw was hardest move for you? If any? Do you know any German? And lastly what do you think about the question ‘where are you from?’

I know parts were difficult but overall I feel very lucky. Probably the one from Germany to England, Germany was amazing I didn’t want to leave. I know minimal German it’s shocking!

When did you leave Germany? And do you keep in touch with any Germans? I was too young when we left so I dont, and none from Oman either which sucks because I went to a super mixed school which is so cool!

I think it was either 2009 or 2010. Not really any more no, when I was younger I met up with a few old mates from Germany but none nowadays really.

We have some family friends that we met when living there that we go and see every now and again but they’re more friends of Mum and Dad. We went and saw them in early 2019 last.

Yeah it’s a shame really but most mates I keep in contact with were those I met in Bordon/Alton.

And ahh, it’s a question I answer loads of different ways because of all the moving around. Usually with “I’m from all over”.

ENGLAND

12.

GERMANY

13.

Louis

Hi Jo (Louis’ mum) I was wondering if louis had any thoughts on it? Just in general. How does he feel about his dad being in the army? Does he think its different for people who’s dads aren’t in the army?

Anything he has to say would be nice really.

Also when people asked him where he was born and he would say Germany, people would say ‘oh does that mean you’re German then’.

I hope that helps, It’d be really good to see what different people say because it’s really interesting. I always remember when Jamie was really really young and people asked him what his Dad did he would say he was a footballer because he never saw his dad in uniform he only saw him in his football kit so he’d either say he was a footballer or he was away shooting and he would shoot people.

I spoke to Louis about what it meant to be apart of a military family, he said that because he lived in Bordon, everyone just accepted that people were in the army . He said that it only mattered when his Dad wasn’t there, but then that was normal in the way that he always grew up so it was ok. He just knew that Dad would be away for long times and other people’s Dads weren’t, thats the only thing that he thought made any difference.He said was that because he had his brothers and they had the same life as him it was just normal life. When his friends would say ‘oh what does you Dad do’ and he’d say ‘my Dad’s in the army’ and they say their Dad’s a postman, that was that.

I think if I was so ask him about now as we lived in a civvi area it would be different.

Our family lived in Berkshire, Gutersloh (2002 - 2003), Monchengladbach JHQ (2003 -2005), Sennelager (2005 - 2007), Gutersloh (2007 - 2009), Bordon

Connor (age 21) Jamie Russell (age 25) and Louis (age 11),

One thing he said about now, is that although his Dad is still in the Army, he isn’t really because he wears an army uniform but he ‘just works in a hospital’ as he says. I don’t really think he understands what working in the army is. As far as he can remember, his Dads never gone to war zone or been away for 6 months at a time. For him his Dad just has normal job.

Three brothers who grew up with Dad in the army He has served 26 years as a Logistic Supplier and head of Human Resources ‘87-present currently a Major and plans to serve until end of 2022 Eldest son Jamie joined up in 2014 and is curreently Section commander phase 1 training.

14.

Pete

What an interesting project! I have been trying to capture that essence, particularly in Germany, since the mid 90s.

I am a bit of an odd one as we lived in Germany for all but three years as I grew up. I arrived in what was then BAOR in 1962, a month after I was born. Dad was a cavalry man and our Regiment, at that time the 11th Hussars, was stationed in Hohne. He was a hard drinking, hard smoking Corporal with 5 kids!

What of growing up an Army Child? It confirmed my vocation - notice NOT job. It moulded me 2/3 of the character I joined the Army with, Woolverstone (Inner London Education Authority Bording School), finishing me off. The support structures for families then had not been destroyed by the Officers and their wives (I can expand). The Squadron Leaders Wife led the wives ensuring behaviour and standards. It was paternalistic, sepia and very much the best parts of the Raj. I would certainly want it for ALL our soldiers and their families now (less the ‘Wife Of’ thing). We were secure, safe and coddled, not a bad thing.

Note - I have not said anything about the Germans. This is because we rarely encountered any, certainly not many socially.

I was always quick to make friends but could not tell you much about any of them. In Tidworth we had access to the training areas surrounding our house.

My brother, I and a crowd of others

used to run around the hills looking for soldiers to follow and camnets to pilfer.

I joined the cubs and we were always out “patrolling” and camping. I also learned to ride a bike (at last) and used to do cyclocross with the Pack.

Knowing what you know about my environment I think it was plain (Pun!) to see that I was going to be a soldier - I could not do what I really wanted to do then, become a Hercules Pilot, because I had asthma.

Tidworth had its own BMH which cared for the soldiers and all their families. I had an op there and clearly remember the clean smell and feeling of absolute safety.

In ‘73 we moved to Germany. We were all loaded into a landrover lightweight (Mum, the two boys AND three little girls, the oldest of whom was barely 3!) and driven in to camp to catch the bus to Lyneham from where we flew to Gutersloh before being bussed to our quarter on Loeseckestrasse.

As the IRA made their presence felt, the teachers manned the gate and the back gate to camp was manned by armed soldiers. None of that phased us too much at that point as we were used to being around armed soldiers.

We then moved to a brand new and larger flat, a D Type.

The highlight of my school time in Hohne was when Santa Klaus and Black Peter came to see us. They landed on the hospital tennis courts in an Alouette 2 helicopter after a fall on snow! What an entrance!

15.

It was while I was at this school that I lost my innocence. I don’t think I was ever right again after that. My best friend was Margaret Simpson. Her dad was a Staff Sergeant in my Dad’s Regiment and he had deployed to Ireland (my dad did not go on that tour).I was sat on the bus with Margaret when two soldiers came on to the bus and took her away. I never saw her again - the family was back in the UK by tea time. Her dad had been blown, quite literally, to pieces.

Father

Wife

Mother

Army

Step Father

Operations

Malaya Korean War Kenya Aden/ South Arabia

Postings

Malta Germany Singapore Hong Kong UK

Military Police

Germany Hong Kong

Royal Signals

Op Banner Arabian Gulf 1961 Defence of Kuwait

Operations Army

Father

11th Hussars/ Royal Hussars

Germany

N Ireland (Non Ops) Tidworth Catterick Royal Navy Reserve Postings Ceylon Stretcher Bearer Royal Welch

Postings

Mother

Father

Post WW2

Army

WW1

Army

Belize UNFICYP UNPROFOR SFOR Op BANNER Op HERRICK

Postings

Army

Siblings

Larkhill UK Hildesheim Germany Soest Cyprus Episkopi

Operations

Op Granby Op Herrick

Sister 1 Sister 2 Sister 3

Children

Postings REME

Wife

Op GRAPPLE 2 Op ??

Chelsea Detmold (FRG) Bordon Munter (D) Bielefeld (D) Bergen- Hohne Fallingbostel Bristol Shornecliffe

REME

Brother

UK

RAMC

Operations

Husband

Bergen Hohne Sennelager

Territorial Army

Infantry

Husband

RAF

2nd Husband

Royal Navy

Based Operations

Son 1

Royal Marines

Son 2 (Tom)

Defence Industry NATO HQ Staff (civilian) UK Defence, Civil Service

Son 3

Royal Artillery

Son 4

Army

Germany

Postings

Plymouth HMS Bulwark Op Herrick

Norway

Bristol Tidworth The Citadel

Foot Guards

16.

Based Operations

London Iraq

Honiton UK Germany Brize Norton RAF Bruggen

17.

Tom

My whole upbringing, that I can remember, was spent in the British Forces Germany. I was born in the BMH Rinteln in the area of Waldkaterallee. I used to be quite fluent in German but I’m very very rusty now. When peeople ask where I’m from I say Germany and they are left trying to work out how and why. It’s funny watching them trying to process that on top of what I do now in Libya, they all think I’m some sort of spy.

Growing up I was always treated very kindly by young soldiers. My Dads friend Moggs taught me to Tie my shoe laces. He also surprised me, orchestrated through my Dad, that on my birthday my dad came home on R&R from Bosnia. He brought me back a green mega blaster stereo and a Tommy Hilfiger fleece.

Married quarter estates were inherently safe places, kids were always out in the play parks or in the woods building dens/bases. Parents wouldn’t have to worry and you could always hear Mothers calling children’s names to come in for tea, I made some life long friends. I did little neighbourhood jobs to buy my first phone at 14, mobile phones hadn’t really taken off at this point but I new getting one ment I could stay out longer and come home when told to. Philips Savvy in Blue, battery lasted 5 days, it cost me 80 Marks.

When I was about 8 when we moved to Munster and I was given a little yellow book that was laminated, had my photograph, my Dad’s work and home number in it. This was my first

Identy card and allowed me access in to camp and meant I could go to the naafi for my mum when she wanted the newspaper or any bits that reminded her of the Uk; like chocolate, baked beans and teabags.

The Guards battalion put on lots of clubs for the children; we had football clubs, horse riding, youth club and on Sundays the PT would put on a hour long assault course and gymnastics class so the kids could blow of steam and the parents could rest their hangovers.

Our Bielefeld posting is where I met your Dad, he and Ginge Baker took me out running one lunch time and I saw the start of the Military bug hitting me properly.

Dads invaision into Iraq after 911 and my final 2 years of school were in Hohne and Fallingbostel. I was was oblivious to the ramifications of watching those towers falling I just wanted to go out to play and see my mates. I became very friendly with the military Physical Training Instructors who treated me as an equal and every opportunity I had I would attend company and battalion PT and help the PT staff out as a marker/marshall on the Combat fitness test.

On completeing school I attempted to join the Parachute Regiment. Dad believed I should be a thinking mans soldier and he agreed to sign my paperwork if I chose to join the Royal Marines (I hadn’t even heard of them up to this Point) as I was 16.5 and agreed so I could begin my aspirations of becoming a service man.

18.

Pros and cons of growing as a pad brat - I would say never having a home.

Civilian friends of mine have their parents houses that they still have their stuff from when they were kids and they hold memories etc. Moving around as much as we have theres not that sence of connection to a property.

I have subsequently spent the best part of the last 18 years living out of bags in locations around the world, making them comfortable but with no sentimental attachment to them. Never really feeling settled they are just a location to store kit or sleep for a bit I have made a conscious effort to remain in Plymouth after leaving the marines as I had civilian friends there. I wanted to try and have a constant, even whilst I travelled, it was always there on my return. I love the idea of buying land and building something that’s mine but I’ve had this plan for nearly 4 years now and I am still no closer to actioning it maybe that step of anchoring down in one spot still makes me uncomfortable I’m not sure One thing my childhood gave me is a good understanding of the military and taught me valuable lessons in resilience. Also that home is actually not bricks and mortar but the people you surround your self with. As I’ve grown older, looking back, I realise the opportunities I’ve had and the different environment’s I’ve been emersed in, most children just don’t get.

Mum

Hey, I’ve been meaning to message to you. As you know I’m focusing on the experience of being an army brat.

I was wondering how you felt about being an army wife and having raising army brats. Do you see pros and cons for us? Was it challenging coming into it as a civi? etcetc.. I’m just interested in what you have to say from a mum perspective compared to us kids.

I first met dad when he was based in Bulford. I was working at Southampton general so would fit in meeting up in between my shifts, nights, lates weekends etc. I had grown up in Fawley so it was fun to meet someone who had come from a completely different background to me and now was living a different life to what they had known.

We bought our first house when I became pregnant as “Quarters “ were only given to married couples. At the time we were trying to pay a mortgage so couldn’t afford to marry but I still felt very much part of the army community as we still lived in an Army Garrison.

Dad was soon promoted and his next step would be his “Tiffy” course. HND in Engineering. This would mean if we didn’t marry we would have to live separately during the week, so we planned to marry within months.

The course consisted of around 10/12 soldiers, this was my first real experience as a wife and a “Patch life”

19.

Lots of wives joined in with Garrison activities put on by the regiments or family office, coffee mornings, toddler groups etc. I didn’t, I felt it was all a little dull and just full of gossips or wives wanting to be in each other’s pockets, I went to work. It suited many wives and helped so many who had hubby’s on “tour” or “exercise “

drop to school, fit in shopping around naps etc. All good fun but it was like a military procedure sometimes. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I found throughout our time in the Army, you made lots of acquaintances but a small amount of friends I could still call very close to this day. No matter how long it had been seen we’d seen each other.

Aitch was in the REME which meant we weren’t part of a unit, we were attached to units for 2 years and then posted to another. I quite enjoyed the moving, new home, new people, new part of the world to explore especially when we were posted to Oman. I guess it was hard for you kids but to be honest Maddison wouldnt have remembered much about moving. You and Charles hard it the toughest but you seemed to take it all in your stride. The only time you both seemed to be upset was leaving Bordon/Alton school. You had settled there for the majority of your schooling, 8 years, and made good friends. That was hard to take you away from all of that but we had to move on.

Start making our own life in civi street so to speak. Charles found it harder to make friends where as I thought you fitted in anyway with anyone.

Looking back I hope you all enjoyed the different lifestyle you had to your family and friends, you seem more open minded towards people and their cultures. The world is a huge place but I think to you guys you know it’s not so big and scary and you’re all itching to get out and do/try new things.

Everyone around was in the same boat at the end of the day; along way from family, especially when overseas, often without husbands and with children.

I do believe this made me who I am today, you had to grow up fast and become very independent, being both Mum, Dad, cook, cleaner, nurse, etcetc.

I would not change it for the world!

Others didn’t cope as well but maybe they didn’t want to as they were so home sick. Marmite, love it or hate it I was 30 and had 3 children! Because of the age gap I had to be extremely organised and on time. I can see that’s one of my down falls now, I can be very impatient and need things doing immediately. I had one child at school, one in nursery and one baby. I had to be in 3 places, trying to keep babies awake, wake toddlers up, collect

Can you say abit about how you saw us kids being effected by it? How did we seem to feel about moving and what dad did as a job? Do you think it shaped us growing up and now as adults?

20.

Glossary

ARMY BRAT (noun) or: AB pad brat, ankle biter Nickname for a child of 1 or more parents who serve or have served in the Army AGC (TLA) Adutent General’s Corps.

Responsible for many of the British Army’s general administrative services ASAP (acronym) As Soon As Possible ASM (TLA) Artificer Sergent Major, a senoir warrant officer appointment in the technical branches of the British army AWOL (TLA) Absent Without Leave BABIES’ HEADS (plural noun) Individual steak and kidney pudding, common in old ration packs BCH (TLA) Boots Combat High; Boots that lace to above the ankle provide more protection BFG (TLA) Britsh Forces Germany previously; BAOR (acronym) British Army On the Rhine BFPO (acronym) British Forces Post Office BIMBLING (verb) To walk or do something slowly BMH (TLA) British Military Hospital BUZZ (noun) or: Buzzes - Gossip or rumours going around

CEFO (acronym) Combat Equipment Fighting Order; includes Chest webbing and webbing belt order (collection of pouches that you carry your fighting order equipment) CEMO (acronym) Combat Equipment Marching Order; includes webbing and bergen CIVI (noun) or: civvie, civvy, civy Short for civilian - a member of the public who doesnt serve with the armed forces CIVI STREET (noun) An residential area that is not affiliated with the armed forces CHIN STRAPPED (adjective) Being tired from lack of sleep - your head’s being held up by the chin strap of your helmet DAY SACK (noun) A small rucksack that contains everything you need for the day DPM (TLA) Distruptive Patterned Material (also known as) Camoflage material. Comes in variations such as Desert, Contemporary Warfare, Jungle Warefare, Artic Warfare D-TYPE (adjective) A military owned quater with 4 bedrooms, designed to accommodate lots of children DUTY (noun) Aside from work - there are duties that have to be undertaken 24/7 365 eg. Being on guard, Guard commander, Piquet Sergeant

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EGG BANJO (noun / verb) A fried egg sandwhich- when eaten, the egg yolk will spill down causing the eater to lift their sandwhich hand whilst they attempt to ‘strum’ the egg from their shirt with their free hand EOD (TLA) Explosive Ordnance Disposal ETA (TLA) Estimated Time of Arrival EXCERCISE (noun) as in: ‘going away for excercise’ (verb) a military excercise is the employment of military rescources in trainging for operations, exploring effects of warfare or testing stratagies without actual combat GARRISON (noun) A collective term for a body of troops stationed in one place orignially to guard it. It now often applies to certain facilties that constitute as a military base HACK IT (verb) To endure or do something one would rather not do IRA (TLA) Irish Repbulican Army known for seeking the end of british rule over ireland during the troubles JHQ (TLA) Joint Head Quaters, a military base in monchengladbach germany activce from 1954 - 2013 JHW (TLA) Jersey Heavy Wool; standard green army jumper JULIE ANDREWS (informal noun) How do you want your brew(tea)?

Julie Andrews = Milk, no sugars (White (none) nun - inspired by her role in the movie The sound of music)

KFS (TLA) or: Daggers, Eating Irons (abrev.) Knife, Fork and Spoon, your basic eating utensils LOA (TLA) Living overseas allowence.

While living abroad you are paid extra, equal to the difference in living cost in the other country vs england.

NBC (TLA) Nuclear Biological and Chemical; types of warfare. You are issues NBC resperator, gloves, suit and boots NFI (TLA) Not Fucking Interested NI (acronym) Northern Ireland

MARCH IN (verb) formal process of taking over a quater and checking all aspects of it for cleanliness and serviceability

NOK (TLA) Next Of Kin

MARCH OUT (verb) formal process of moving out and handing over a quater and having it checked for cleanliness and serviceability

PLCE (acronym) Personal Load Carrying Equipment or: Bergan

MESS (noun) an area where military personell can socialise, eat (and in some cases) live. The term is also used to indicate the groups of people who beling to seperate messes eg, the Officer’s mess

PATCH LIFE (noun) the experience of living in an army community

POETS Day (acronym) Piss Off Early, Tomorrow’s Saturday! as in; Lets get this done quick so we can go home it’s POETS day POSTING (verb) or: to be posted. A relocation of one and ones family due to job requirements.

MOD (TLA) Ministry Of Defence

PT (acronym) Physical training

MUFTI (noun) Non-uniform also used in non-military context in commonwealth countries

QUARTERS (noun) or pad Military provided accomidation for those who serve and their families

NAAFI (acronym) Navy Army and Air Force Institutes or: An army brat’s first corner shop. A place where members of the armed forces can imported British products

RECCE (noun) short for reconnaissance, carrying out preliminary survey or research

NATO (acronym) as in NATO Standard (adjective) How do you want your brew(tea)? NATO! = Milk and 2 sugars. (less importantly) the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

REME (acronym) The corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

They maintain the equiptment that the army uses.

RLC (TLA) Royal Logistics Corps. They provide logistic support functions to the British Army 22.

R&R (acronym) rest and recuperation or rest and relaxation, a period of free time granted to soldiers serving in of actice service unaccompanied (without family) duty. eg. for a 6 month long tour, a soldier will be granted 2 weeks of R&R (including travel time) SERGEANT (noun) a rank of noncommissioned officer in the army, above corporal and below staff sergeant.

STAFF SERGEANT (noun) a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries.

It is also a police rank in some police services. Below WO2 TIFFY COURSE (noun) an educational training course that qualifies you as an artificier TLA (TLA) Three Letter Acronym, these are very common in army slang TOUR (noun) as in: being ‘on tour’ (verb) a military tour is a period of time a solider experiences combat un a hostile environment. I t is based on a rotation system WHOOPI GOLDBERG (informal noun) How do you want your brew(tea)?

Whoopi Goldberg = No milk, no sugars (Black (none) nun - inspired by her role in the movie sister act) WO1, WO2 (TLA) A warrant officer is a non-comissioned rank (the former being the senior of the latter).