******ATTENTION Fellow BRATs******** Im throwing in with a friend and fellow BRAT, Donna Musil, who is championing a movement against the attempt to rebrand those of us who grew up in military families. This is her plea and I ask anyone who believes in her, and my, cause to jump into the fray. amazon/gp/product/0967887151… She writes: A few people (who were never raised as military children) are trying to change your name from BRAT to CHAMP? What do you think about that? Make your feelings heard! Tweet us at https://twitter/usabrats! Then tell the groups below how you feel: amazon/gp/product/0967887151… militarychild.org/contact-us https://uso.org/contact-the-uso.aspx harmonyhearth/CHAMPS.html https://communities.usaa/…/Family-Matters-Int…/ba-p/7291 Here is the link on Amazon to the book written by a non-brat trying to rename BRATS (the historical acronym for British military children - British Regiment Attached Traveler that dates back to the 1700s and somehow made its way to American shores) into CHAMPS (Child Heroes Attached to Military Personnel). Also check out the reviews, especially the one written by Mary Keller, President and CEO, Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) - who isnt a brat, either. This is the organization that told the author they wouldnt have anything to do with a book that had the word brat in it. If you want to make your feelings known, contact MCEC, the USO, Debbie Fink, and any other groups who act like Brats Without Borders and other brat authors and organizations havent been talking about these issues for over 20 years - but they ignore us because we use the word brat or acknowledge that not all brat issues are positive or able to be resilient about? Instead of encouraging interlopers to change our name and usurp our heritage (and ignore our real issues), perhaps they should join us in trying to educate others? It appears the USO has paid to sponsor the Finks to travel around the world and give out thousands of copies of the book. I wonder if the USO would consider giving every military brat teenager a copy of the BRATs film (BRATS: Our Journey Home - which took seven years to make, and was funded only by brats - and has been broadcast overseas by AFN, but never in the United States) or Mary Wertschs book or dozens of others written by real brats... or sponsoring Brats Without Borders volunteers to go around the world helping military teens understand their heritage and the legacies of growing up brat and help them prepare to leave the military environment... or even help us expand our BRATS Clubs that have been so successful? Or how about someone sponsoring the digitizing of over 15 years of research - with questionnaires about the long-term effects of growing up brat from real brats, 18 to 80, that are up to 90 pages typed, each. Is anyone interested in sponsoring that work? How about UNCLASSIFIED: The Military Kid Art Show that features artwork by real brats from 1950 to today and discusses the impact PTSD has on military children? That won a Newmans Own Award (who really does care about military families), was presented by General Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and is traveling the country as we speak. Wheres all the support for the work by real brats? ********************************************************** So, I have thrown in with Donna. I started with the article as linked above, and submitted my comments that Ill share here in just a moment. I also submitted the same as a Customer Review at Amazon. I attempted to post it on the USO website too but they have closed the thread for further comment AND have eliminated all previous comments on the subject. Very transparent, eh? Ill share my comments now and will hope that many -if not ALL - of you fellow BRATs will take up the cause and make your voices heard. Okay, heres what I have had to post at various sites: The word hero has been so diluted in recent years as to take away from those who have truly conducted themselves in heroic fashion. Just because a person wears a military uniform does NOT make them a hero. Just because a kid grew up in a military family does NOT make them a hero. I have to pose these questions: Why so much energy expended on a drive to fix something that isnt broken? Who is going to come out of this with a heftier checking account? How many more books are going to be hawked at the expense of true military BRATs? Who says that the already challenging situation exists for BRATs? Pray tell, what ARE those challenges? What first-hand knowledge do the authors have of life growing up in a military community? Who says that the term brat is derogatory when used in reference to present and former U.S. military dependent children? To us, BRAT is a long-standing and prideful term of endearment. More alarmingly, why have the authors used passages previously published by authentic BRATs without giving acknowledgement and due credit to the original author(s)? Leave us BRATs alone, go away, and in your spare time educate yourself as to the definition of a real hero. Mick McClary AF BRAT and proud of it! Post-script The word Champ means to bite down, chew, gnash, etc. Whereas some kids may have bitten another kid at one time it hardly deserves so much attention as to have ones legacy reflected by the act of champing. The word Champion means a person who has defeated or surpassed all rivals in a competition, especially in sports. Such characterization is entirely erroneous as BRATs - children of military families - do not profess to have defeated anyone. If a particular BRAT has excelled in sports or in combat then (s)he may be entitled to the individual assignation as a champion. The word Champion also is defined as a person who argues or fights on behalf of another, or to defend a cause. With regard to THIS definition then this BRAT is willing to be considered a Champ as I am here to defend us BRATs against a tyrannical attempt to change a generations-long tradition. Thanks for taking your time to read my position and opinions. ********************************************************************** I also sent this to the USO: The USO has embraced the notion of promoting C.H.A.M.P.S. as a new and improved acronym when referring to children who grew up and who are growing up in military families. I see that you have closed the thread relative to this matter for any further comment and further it appears that you have deleted all prior comments. You presently display ZERO COMMENTS on the subject. Since transparency seems to be a favorite buzz-word these days perhaps you need to embrace transparency as wholly as you appear to have embraced the works of the Fink clan. As a BRAT and as a father of four BRATs, allow me to share my opinions. (Then followed my discussion as above) Jump on Board, fellow BRATs!!!
Posted on: Mon, 17 Nov 2014 23:40:37 +0000
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