3 Lessons From My Military Family This Veterans Day
I’m really embarrassed to admit this, but I often forget about Veterans Day. Unless I have to run to the bank or the post office (and find it closed), I usually don’t remember until later in the day, and only if I happen to see a social media post honoring those who have served.
But this year, Veterans Day has been top of mind for me. Although I never had the pleasure of serving our country, I am in a family surrounded by veterans. My mother and brother each served three years in the U.S. Army, and my father served 20. My husband served in the Marines for three years. Safe to say, I was shaped by my childhood as an Army brat.
As a kid, I didn’t exactly love all the aspects of being a military kid. I hated leaving my school and friends every few years. I hated that we never lived close enough to see my grandmother and cousins often. And when I was 10, my father deployed to Kuwait for Operation Desert Storm, leaving us in Germany. I remember watching him go to a country I’d never heard of, with fear and trepidation. Some parts of that life were just hard.
But even with what I considered “the bad” — there was also a lot of good. I recognized this as a child, and looking back now, I'm so appreciative of how I grew up. This Veterans Day, I want to pay special homage to how my military family and life experiences shaped who I am both personally and professionally.
Lesson 1: Resolve to Have Resolve
Growing up, my dad was definitely Type A. He loved his family dearly, but order was the name of the game. I honestly can’t tell how much of that was his personality and how much was shaped by a lifetime in the Army, but there’s no doubt the military molded him. I will say that we had a lot of structure at home. We were expected to always work hard and try our very, very best. In my professional life, this has helped me tremendously.
Discipline allows you to be self-motivated. Allows you to be dependable. Allows you to push yourself each and every time. In a world where most of us marketers juggle multiple projects, deadlines and initiatives, discipline is a critical skill. For those of us with the privilege of remote or hybrid work, having the wherewithal to stay on task and motivated means you keep doing excellent work no matter where you are. I know military parents get a bad rap for being too strict sometimes, but a good dose of self-control made me who I am.
Lesson 2: A Stranger Is Just a Friend You Haven't Met Yet
Over my career, I’ve done hundreds and hundreds of interviews. Aptitude, intelligence and critical thinking skills are extremely important. But we all know emotional IQ matters, too. As executive vice president of client services, I work with the people at Nebo who collaborate most closely with our clients and their Nebo project teams. Knowing how to get along with a range of personalities is important, and it can be hard to teach.
Growing up in the military means moving a lot. In our travels, we lived on Army bases and off base, AKA, living on the economy. I went to schools where I was the only person in my class with military parents, and to schools where we all were. I lived across the U.S. and in Europe. You need to learn pretty quickly how to adapt to new surroundings and make friends quickly. To this day, I still love meeting new people. Reading nonverbal cues and communicating effectively with a wide range of people is a skill I absolutely owe to my military family upbringing.
Lesson 3: Finding Your People
The last lesson I learned is about the importance of community. If you’re in the military, you often hear that the point of boot camp is to break you down as an individual and build you up as a unit. This sense of unity extends to military families, too. In my experience, living on bases develops a tight sense of community. My childhood was atypical in many ways, and you quickly bond with other kids who are experiencing the same thing.
In my personal life, I relish traditions and my community of friends. Professionally, I also understand the importance of community. As marketers, we need to learn from each other and keep those connections strong. Whether you’re part of a professional organization or keep in touch with past colleagues and bosses, this is vital. I always say the marketing community in Atlanta is not that big, but if you make it a priority, you can build and nurture your own professional community.
To wrap up, I want to give a heartfelt thank you to my family of veterans. My dad is no longer with us, but I feel his presence every day, and I can’t put into words how appreciative I am of the life he gave me. To all of you reading this who served or have a loved one who served: Thank you, sincerely, for your service.
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