One thing that’s guaranteed about being a military brat is moving across state and even national lines with regularity. Every post a parent is at is another state most of the time. All that moving certainly leaves a mark. For many military brats, it certainly complicates the common question of ‘Where are you from?’
The first choice is just to answer with a place of birth. This one is a common choice. Though the person may not remember living there, it doesn’t change. For many military brats, that solidness is what counts.
Then there’s picking the place with the most ground (living there) time. It is a place that they remember and have spent a lot of time. That feeling of belonging to a place is somewhat elusive, so this option provides a connection.
Some people opt for the last place they were. Even though the last place keeps changing, it too has some sentimental value. It’s the place where their most recent memories are, and the place they’re transitioning from.
The last option is my personal pick. I just say I’m from everywhere. It’s not an untrue statement since I spent most of my formative years in a mess of different states. It does, however, lead to another line of small talk about where everywhere is. After all, the United States is a lot of areas.
Picking what to say when asked where you’re from is something military brats contemplate. It’s not something the entire population understands. As the U. S. Census Bureau says, in 2010 59% of U. S. citizens lived in the state they were born. Never living in the state (or country) you were born in certainly looks different next to that statistic.
So, where are you from?
References
United States Census Bureau. “Mover Rate Reaches Record Low, Census Bureau Reports.” 15 Nov 2011. United States Census Bureau. Web. 10 June 2018.