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Grandfather enlisted into the United States Army
The beginning of my family military culture started with my grandfather, Claude Franklin. He was drafted into the military during World War II and served until he retired a US Army Officer. He served our country through World War II and the Korean War instilling in his family the love of country and family. -
My Paternal Grandfather joined the United States Air Force when he was 21 years old
The other half of my military culture was my father's father, Michael Gonzales Sr. He served our military for 5 years during World War II. His bravery was passed down to my father Michael Gonzales Jr. who continued our family military service as a young adult. -
Mother Born into Army culture
- My mother Claudia Ann Franklin was born into the military culture in October 1949. She learned from a young age of the constant and never ending change of the military family. She moved from Kansas to Germany as a toddler. While living overseas she learned a second language and learned the culture of the German people. My mother told me stories of how strict her father was when it came to following rules, I attribute this with his military training and discipline.
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Father born to former Air Force
My father Michael Gonzales Jr. was born September 1950. As a child my father was raised to love his country and to serve it to the best of his abilities. Although he was not raised a military dependent the values of his father’s military service had been planted. -
Father joined the United States Navy
After high school my father enlisted into the US Navy. In the Navy he learned how to adapt to the constant change and rules, that would later shape my life and attitude towards the military. -
Mother and Father married
My parents, both former military dependents, met in Hawaii. My mother was there helping her brother, who also served in the US Air Force and my father was stationed in Hawaii. Their background and military family values brought them together and are still married after 42 years of marriage. -
Dad left the Navy
Although my father only served a short tour of military in the 1970s he continued his service in the US Navy reserves. During this time I was born in 1976 and my younger brother in 1978. Throughout my life I learned that people gave their lives to give me my freedom and we are to respect them for their bravery. I learned that those people were my grandfathers, uncles and other family members because they continued in the footsteps of their fathers and grandfathers. -
Life lessons instilled
I may not have started out a military dependent I was taught from very young age patriotism and to love my country. During this time I learned the attitudes and values of my family heritage. I can’t tell you have many times in my life that I heard the words “that’s an order” when told to do my chores/task. I also recall that we upheld the family values every day, by eating dinner as a family every night. -
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Attitudes and Values Learned
• Close knit culture of the military
• Frequent and constant changes
• Adaptability of all the change that goes on
• Rules that always had to be followed
• Family values that were upheld
• Strict schedules of military life. -
Father returned to active duty
At the age of 12 I was fully immersed into the military way of life. The Texas oil crash of the 1980s forced my father to reenlist into the Navy. I was now a full-fledged military dependent. This is where I learned about change, adaptability and strict schedules. We packed up the house and left the friends I knew from infancy and moved to South Carolina. -
Older brother joined US Marine Corp
After moving to South Carolina my older brother continued our family legacy and joined the United States Marine Corp after high school. He made the Marine Corp his career and retired after 21 years in 2010. During this time he married and raised a family of 6 on the same military family values we were raised on. His oldest son plans on continuing the family culture and join the United States Marine Corp as well. -
Transferred to Japan
At the age of 15 again I learned about the frequent and constant changes of military life. My father was transferred to Misawa, Japan. Not only did I have to adapt to the new friends, I had to adapt to a whole new country and customs. -
Life long friends
While in high school I met many new friends who have become a close knit family. We get together as often as possible for weddings, births, and just because occasions for those who live close by. Many of us went on to join the military, marry someone who is in the military or marry one another. I attribute this to how we were raised and how we relate to one another as military dependents. -
George joined the US Army
An example of this is my fiancé George Harland III. I met him in high school as a military dependent, reconnected with him 20 years after we had both graduated. He was a fellow military brat but also enlisted in the United States Army out of high school in 1993. He served in the Somalia, Haiti, and the Global War on Terror. -
The legacy continues
I’ve learned through the years that it’s not hard to adapt when the people who you are adapting with have gone through the exact same thing. Our military culture has been passed on from generation to generation and the military legacy will continue with me and my fellow military dependents.
