My father is a retired Army Colonel. His career spans 34 years and 3 wars. My brother and all my sisters were born in different states, some in different countries. Often, family movements created havoc in our lives: new schools to attend, new friends to make, and old friends to leave behind. It was all very difficult.
Military families adapt to these changes. But they do it with the help of another family-- the "Military Family." When living on Base or in Military Housing, your neighbors and the Unit become this new family, a network of people that are friendly and helpful. Military men and their families learn to deal with all races and customs, leading military people to be more open, in general, to new or different ideas.
Mainly, the "Military Family" is the unit, the unit does everything together. There are 150 people in a unit sometimes many more. The unit has an organized structure. Unit members usually participate in organized events and some interact socially not mandated by the unit. It doesn't matter what race your neighbors are or unit members are, what matters is that they are in the same boat as you, that they have no local family usually, and they need you as much as you need them.
These people fit into a position usually filled by uncles, aunts, or cousins in hometown U.S.A. My only brother Sladen, as well as the rest of us (except one) are or were in military. My brother and I are both retired Army. Once you're in the the "military family" you feel like you belong and that somehow these other military families will protect and comfort you. This feeling creates great loyalty between military people.
Military deployments also create great diversity and acceptance of diversity. One example: when my brother was stationed in Korea he was invited to go scuba diving with a team of Korean Rangers. They collected some big slugs from the bottom of the gulf and ate them. The slugs were terrible and made him sick immediately. A person has to be open minded to do something like that!
My brother's wife is a nurse, a good occupation for a military spouse because where ever Sladen was stationed, Mary had no trouble finding work. While stationed in Korea, Sladen and Mary adopted a Korean baby, Sara, who is now a 20 year old college student in Louisiana.
Adoptions are another way that military families accept diversity. I know a military priest that adopted five children. Military men often marry across cultures, accepting diversity and mixing cultures. My father married an Australian, mixing north-Western farming culture with an Australian big city business culture; it's a strange brew.
Finally, the Military Family is one aspect that helps make the U.S. military the best in the world. From the cameraderie of the children in face of constantly changing friends, to the adults who see children in need and do something to help. The acceptance of new ideas, diverse cultures, and all races. The military brings fun and freedom to the world. Thank God for every one of them.
