What is in a name? Brats vs. Champs

When I define myself it goes like this:  devoted disciple of Jesus, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, Military Brat.  Those are - by far - the most important parts of who I am as a person on this planet.  So imagine my surprise when I read recently that there is a movement afoot to change one of those words and redefine the very essence of who I am.

My Dad (and Hero)

Debbie and Jen Fink (a mother and daughter) wrote a book and are now on a USO-sponsored tour to promote that book and their organization called Operation C.H.A.M.P.S.  Sounds harmless, right?  Anything that promotes and aids our military families is a good thing.  Except in this case, maybe not.

C.H.A.M.P.S. - Child Heroes Attached to Military Personnel

Huh?

In a USO article, Debbie Fink said this:  "We declared our independence 236 years ago and it’s about time our Little C.H.A.M.P.S did the same. There’s no need to give them a label that may add to their already challenging situation. Why not call them what they are? Little C.H.A.M.P.S!”

I'm going to give this mother/daughter duo some grace since neither has any military background of their own.  Perhaps the Finks were not aware of the incredibly strong lifelong bond we military brats share.  Maybe they were under the mistaken impression that military brats stop being brats when they reach their majority.  And they definitely seem to have been sucked into this awful political-correctness-run-amok culture that says we're all heroes.  So I must correct some things:

BRAT is NOT a negative label from which we need to be freed by some well-meaning civilian.  We LOVE this term and wear it as a badge of honor for the lives we’ve led in support of our military parent.  Our lives as military dependents taught us very valuable life skills.  We learned to be strong and resilient and adaptable and, while the vast majority of us have no hometown to speak of, we know EXACTLY who we are.  While we fall into every socioeconomic, racial, political and gender category under the sun, we are ALL patriots.  We can pack up and move at a moment’s notice.  We can improvise, adapt and overcome better than any civilian I’ve ever met.  We don’t hesitate to stop what we’re doing and stand at attention when the national anthem is played.  We appreciate and respect other cultures while at the same time believing that our own is EXCEPTIONAL.  We judge people by the content of their character (and their ability to use the military alphabet when spelling words out over the phone) and not the color of their skin.  We defined diversity before that was even a thing.

America is our Hometown

We don’t need anyone telling us that we need help through a “challenging situation.”  In support of my father's service in the Air Force, my family of seven moved 11 times during my childhood. I went to FOUR different high schools - in this country and overseas.  It never once occurred to me that I lived in a challenging situation.  What it DID teach me is the invaluable lesson that it's not where you live that's important - it's who you're with.  As long as I had my family, I was good.  And I have always considered my hometown to be America.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Challenging?  Please… it was an HONOR.

Being a BRAT doesn’t end when you turn 18.  All of us are part of a large and close-knit subculture of military brats around the world.  It is a vital part of our identity.  Out of my 900 Facebook friends, the vast majority of them are military brats – many of whom I’ve never met in person!  The internet has allowed us to connect on more levels than ever before with message boards and Facebook groups and reunion sites.  As a matter of fact, military brats have more reunions than any other group I know!

We are not HEROES.  This word has become attributable to just about everyone on the planet and has lost so much of what it’s supposed to mean in the process.  When you overuse a word, it loses its power.  Many may disagree with me but I don’t think everyone in the military is a hero, let alone their children!  I value every military member and applaud their service to our great nation but if everyone was a hero, then what do we call the Marcus Luttrells and the Jimmy Doolittles of the world? 

My fellow BRATS and I do not like a person who was never a military brat coming in and trying to redefine us for her own self-aggrandizing profit.  So no, Ms. Fink (the collective) we do not accept your new term.  We are BRATS right down to our bone marrow.  We are strong, we are united, we aren’t going anywhere and you don't get to change our name.


P.S.  I wonder if the Finks know the meaning of the picture at the top.  The dandelion is the Military Brat Flower. 

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