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The Professional World from a “Brat”

February 1, 2016

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For the last twenty minutes I sat here making a list of all the attributes I feel like myself and other Military Brats possess due to the way were were brought up.  We’re resourceful, we know the value of hard work, we’ve sacrificed alongside our mothers and fathers to our country, but the most important of them all is that we’ve experienced the world in a way that makes our viewpoint incredibly unique.  We see purpose and meaning in everything, and in a professional world this means that we’re able to look at problems and solve them in ways that others don’t see.   Military Brats want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, understand their place in the world, and strive to make a difference.  This desire is something that’s embedded in our DNA.   There have been times in my life where all I’ve wanted was to be inadequate, to strive for less than greatness, but my past experiences, my role-models, and my work ethic won’t let me.  This need to be efficient, to make the tough decisions, and to be the best version of myself that I can be, are all a result of the way I was raised as a Military Brat.   Military Brats grow up overcoming giant obstacles, which make everyday struggles less daunting.  If you’re a Military Brat reading this you’re probably thinking “As much as traveling the world with my family has been an immense blessing, it has also been a curse.”  We all have moved more times than we can remember, said more goodbyes than we’d ever like to, and have grown up in single parent households. Dorr2 We aren’t “normal” people: we grew up without a “hometown,” but, if you’re like me, you look back on all of this and understand that you’ve been tested unlike any of your peers.  I have lost count of the amount of times I’ve thought to myself “I’ve navigated the public transportation system in several countries without knowing the language, this task is a breeze,” or “I walked 2 miles in the freezing snow to and from school every day for several months because they wouldn’t close the schools in Germany, what is x compared to that?”  Since graduating college just two years ago I’ve moved to 4 different states, taken complete leaps of faith, and there’s no way I could have done that if I hadn’t moved as often as I did growing up. We understand sacrifice in a way that nobody else does, and because of this, we are the ideal team player.   The best part about being a Military Brat, is that as I sat down and began to write, I couldn’t possibly narrow down all of the great qualities and experiences that have shaped my life into a concise paper that wouldn’t put the reader to sleep.  Although it hasn’t come without struggle, the members of this fraternity are blessed with an abundance of experiences, unique qualities, and stories to share that make them incredibly attractive assets in the professional world.  Of all my friends that I’ve met through the military, not one of them are unemployed, and I imagine they have similar stories to tell.  For all of you Military Brats out there getting ready to take on the professional world, you’ve grown up with a network of fellow Brats, you’ve been professional your entire lives, now go get ‘em!   -Kaelan Dorr, Army Brat

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