Introduction to dependents personal records:

Moving around the world as a USAF dependent taught me many things… chief among them was the lesson ‘You better have your sh*t together!’ I offer this advice posting to allow readers to learn from my trials and tribulations (I’ll post more as my ‘advice’ gets more detailed). My general advice is to keep your records easily accessible…. And, for those of you who rely on your parents to handle all your stuff…. You better learn how to take care of that stuff before you turn 18… or at least soon afterward.

I keep my records in three forms: (1) The originals in a locked filing cabinet, (2) copies (and occasionally originals if I need them to be mobile) organized in a binder with plastic protective sheets, and (3) PDF copies stored on external hard drives/thumb drives/whatever.

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Foreign Born Americans
Sigh... will anybody even read this post? 

Anyway, I suspect some of you readers are like me in that I'm a natural born American born abroad.  If you need a copy of your

"Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)" or your "Certificate of Birth (DS-1350)" then see the following link at the Department of State:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/fri/faq/faq_1741.html#doc28

Some of you, again like me, will have birth certificates under a different form number.... Form 545.  Well, those birth certificates have changed in format.  My original "Certification of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (FS 545) is government-blue and smaller than a standard 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.  When I ordered two more copies of my birth certificate, it came in the newer DS-1350 form.  This form is predominately red and the standard 8.5 x 11 letter size paper.  Don't worry, you're still an American! LOL  I suspect a reason for the format change was to allow for document tracking by putting serial numbers at the corners of the papers.  For instance, when I changed my last name at the Social Security office this week, they typed in my birth certificate serial number into the text field which listed which evidenced the document I produced to the officer to show my identity.  Some states' DMVs also use those serial numbers in a similar manner.

You're only allowed one copy of your Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240)-- apparently before circa-1990 folks were allowed to tons of copies.  Of course, if you lost it or it was destroyed, you can follow the instructions on the State Dept. site and get yourself another copy.

If you're paranoid like me, you'll scan your documents into PDFs and make unofficial color copies (I've been able to use unofficial color copies before) and then lock them up! : )

I hope this helps somebody out there.

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Thank you Veterans
There are many who don't know what today is, or what it means, but I'm pretty sure all of us do.

Here is someone else who does too.

To each and every one who has served, and have maintained and advanced the cause of freedom, thank you.

To each and every "dependent"* who has to be so very "independent"when loved ones are in the service, thank you.

Two words, too little, but all that truly can be said. Make today special for someone who serves, or who has served: go share those words with them.

Tonight Dad and I are attending a Veteran’s Day banquet at St Joe’s. It’s the school where I taught for several years so it has even more significance. We'll raise a glass for everyone fighting the good fight, and for everyone not coming home. God Bless.

*I hope you will find some time to read the article. It's about us (dependents) and for us. It helped me understand a lot more about where I came from and who I am today. I hope it will help you as well.

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Military brats
Have any of you other military brats that are now out on your own realized that it's really hard to be still, to NOT move after 4 years, to stay put? I have the hardest time with this. I get so bored of a place after a short period of time. This is a huge struggle for me.

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Film about brat life
If you are a military brat, you were probably notified from an alumni list about this film. Its a movie about military brat life and psychology. Check it out here: http://www.bratsourjourneyhome.com/clips.htm

I have nothing to do with the film, but I just read about it, and it looks pretty good.

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"The military brats... are an invisible, unorganized tribe, a federation of brothers and sisters."

"When the United States needs a soldier, military brats do their best to
best to provide one. Our contribution to the country is small, but so
are the brats most of the time, and they give all that they can."
-military brat

Military brat is an article I wrote recently. It was over a year in the making with lots of research and introspection.The hope is that you may enjoy reading it and discover things that you can strongly relate to. Don't forget to check out the links at the end. There are a number of web sites that may help you connect with friends.

The title quote is from Pat Connely who wrote The Great Santini.

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Looking for lost classmates
Hello, my name is Megan Johnson and I'm so glad to have found this community. I've been doing google searches for other Navy brats, but wasn't finding anything helpful...was beginning to think that perhaps I needed to set up my own comm. in order to reconnect with old friends.

I'm 23yrs. old and the last place my family was stationed was Edzell, Scotland -that was about 13yrs. ago. We had the opportunity to leave early and did so.

If there is anyone in here who attended the school on the Edzell naval base back between 1990 and 1992, second grade through fourth -please speak up. In particular I'm looking for an old friend, Ashley Sizemore.


pic. of me behind the ( cutCollapse )

-Thank you!:)

Current Mood: hopeful

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military brats documentary!
https://www.shop.militarybrat.com/displayProductDocument.hg?productId=26&categoryId=3




I really really really want this!

Current Mood: nostalgic

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Military Brat Creating a...Military Brat
Hello, I'm Vicki and was born in San Diego, CA, but grew up in Virginia and New Hampshire before coming back to San Diego because- needless to say- military brat. Navy brat- Dad was a yeoman first class, and even worked at the Pentagon for his last assignment. Then there is my Air Force grandpa, my Navy grandpa, my Army grandpa (long story), and my Air Force father-in-law. Ubermilitarybrat. Kinda cool.

So, what have I done? I have gone ahead and performed the ultimate act of military brattiness... I have enlisted myself. In the ARMY... amazingly enough, this has actually prompted amusement from my Dad and father-in-law.... especially since I went to AIT on an Air Force base, this gave me a lot of fodder for inter-service jokes. (As far as almost everyone in the Army is concerned, the "Chair Force" lives in luxury.)

On top of everything else, I'm expecting my first child in February, which means that I am, in fact, TWO MILITARY BRATS! Quite the epiphany... :)

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People who speak my language!
I am very proud to say that I've been an Air Force brat almost my entire life. My dad was a F-16 pilot for 20 years and I had one grandfather in the Army and the other in the Navy. I guess you could say I've got my bases covered. A few years back my dad retired and starting flying for UPS and so the family had to move (again) to Kentucky. It's so weird to not live on base anymore and to have people just gawk at you when you say something like TDY or deployment or enlisted. It took me a long time to get used to being around civilians and not the raucous and hilarious fighter pilots I grew up around. I was born in Columbus, Mississippi, moved from there to Texas, Florida, Georgia, back to Florida, South Carolina, and finally Kentucky. I miss the base community and the camaraderie and the constant change even though I always stayed in the states. The military way of life has been so imprinted on me that I'm doing AFROTC at UofL where I'm currently starting as a freshman. I'm so excited to find a group where everyone knows what it's like to have to pack up as soon as every six months or to grow up with at least one parent constantly being in another country or in harm's way. This is just awesome...kinda brings back old times.

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Hey all,
I have lowered the prices of all my yellow ribbon jewelry so I can get rid of my stock. If you ever wanted to order now is your last chance.

bjerks_goodies is where it's at

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On Independance Day from a soldier stationed in Iraq
July 1st, 2005
10km NW of Tikrit, Iraq

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had to share x posted

and this is what our Brave military does on their days off... become computer nerd playing some game online

Boy ...  I feel Safe ...  LOL!!!

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i'm a army brat. idk what else to say

Current Mood: confused

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A little thank you
for memorial day I have added a small something to my site... if you want to add your soliders name to it feel free to do so... leave a comment here and I will put it up... today is the day to shout to the world we love the ones who fight... we love the ones who have fallen for their memories live on in all that surrounds us...

http://www.meghanashtonjane.net

X-posted...

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Hey girls and guys,
I just put some of my yellow ribbon jewelry on ebay at super low prices. I have never offered these at this low of a price so if you ever wanted one and held off now is the time to buy.

Here is a link to my auctions...
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZbrookeb19
And here are the bracelets that are up now.
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Thanks for looking. I also have a few other items listed in my selling journal bjerks_goodies.
I also make deployment bracelets, all information on those is in my selling journal also.

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Hi All - I don't know if promoting is allowed but if it's not then please delete. I won't be offended! ;)

I recently made a community for Marine & Navy wives, girlfriends, sisters, etc. located around 29 Palms, California. I'm trying to get a group of girls together so we can all become friends & maybe at some point even arrange for group activities around the base to do! Who knows, the ideas are endless right now.. so the community is brand spanking new & if any of you know of a girl who fits that criteria please send them my way! I haven't found too many girls in the 29 area, and I know there must be more than the ones I found... please help if possible!

usmc_29palms

Thanks again,
~B~

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Hey all...just joined the group. I was raised an Air Force Brat. My dad retired in 1998, and I'm still living in the last place we were stationed. Even though I've settled down, I'm getting that itch to reconnect...or maybe I just need to move :) Anyways, a bit about me...
Born at Castle AFB, in California in 1981 (I did actually meet a person in College a few years back who got the joke that I didn't exist anymore because my base of birth was closed), transfered to RAF Greenham Common in 1983, was there till 1988, came back stateside to Cavalier, ND, moved to Chenute, IL in 1989, and then to Davis Mothan, AZ also in 1989, ended up at Hill, UT in 1992, and finally came out to McClellan, CA in 1996, which is where my dad retired.
Don't know anything else to say, other than I'm glad there's an LJ group for brats to connect. I have no friends in my area who are brats, and it's a novel thing explaining to people who don't know, just what the life is like. Anyways, just a quick hello all.

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Fallen From Grace...
I need your guys help. Everyone knows Im a single Mother. I am trying to make it on 5.25 (min wage) with a 16 month old. I am trying to start my MaryKay bussiness and wanted to know if you or someone you knew would be interested in buying somethings? Im serious. if you are interested please let me know. I ship anywhere and everywhere...


Meghan

I Xposted this!!

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Hi all.
I'm Courtney. I usually go by "Cat", but whatever you'd like to call me is fine. My dad's Navy and served on a 'Sub for the longest time. We're currently stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii at Pearl Harbour. I'm a freshman in high school and I was considering joining the Military for the longest time.
We've lived in Rhode Island, Georgia, Connecticut, and this is our second time in Honolulu and our third tour.

Thanks. :)

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