When I was little, my dad left his family behind, all because he had a war to take care of. It was hard for him, being homesick from all the blood being splashed on, shots fired, and the victories he had conquered. My dad has been serving in the military for 23 years, fighting in Iraq, Germany, and many other foreign countries, and beating off the bad guys that dare lay hands on our nation’s stars and stripes. Then, after those 23 years, he retired in honor. All the blood and massacre was just enough to make him want, let alone need something, that was hidden behind all this violence: his family. Now it’s 2018, and he would rather be home than in war.

I live in two houses, my sister included. One of my houses is a two-story brick building around Royal Troon, where my dad, stepmom (me and my sister call her Mimi), grandma, and two rat terrier mixed dogs live. In Universal City, my mother and my Siamese cat spends time in one of the community houses in Kitty Hawk Road, and like all families, we stick together no matter the problem.

My father, Maurice Donnell Lee, was an army man in the United States Army Reserved, which is in the Army branch. He said that he gets to deal with certain missions and deployments, like protecting the military base in Saudi Arabia. The best part about it, he says, is when the mission is done.

To me, being in a military family is very special, but kids don’t exactly know it. It’s special because one day you might follow their roots and continue their legacy towards keeping the american freedom. Some military families move to certain places or areas, but me and my family only moved to Cibolo when I was little(My dad was with my mom at that time before they divorced), but now we would travel from other places to camp with our trailer, so it’s nothing serious.

Being in a military not only makes me stronger, but makes me feel powerful and proud.

With all my respect, I thank my father for keeping this family alive. It means so much to me to see my father risking his life as a soldier for just one important thing: family. “One day,” he once told me, “You will see how I helped you through life.”