76 Proceedings Fall 2024 Coast Guard families and friends wait for their loved ones during a welcome home ceremony for the Coast Guard cutter Midgett in Honolulu in 2008. Every military move provides military children opportunities to build resilience. When those opportunities are overseas, curiosity about the world and a greater sense of perspective can grow, as well. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Molle presence. Exposure to overseas assignments and mili- tary life may inspire children to serve. Even if this does not occur, the lessons and experiences from a life over- seas often turn them into thoughtful, resilient people. Hightlighting the National Month of the Military Child, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, noted that military children pos- sess an “unparalleled resilience and grit.”19 Her words further illustrate the benefits of overseas life. Dependents deal with the discomfort of a strange, new world and cul- tivate wonderful experiences. It is a fitting education for an increasingly interdependent world. From the Author As a child, I spent six years in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with my mother and younger brother. My father, a Coast Guardsman, worked at U.S. Coast Guard Activities Europe. Without a doubt, my encounters with the intri- cacy and beauty of foreign nations, cultures, and per- spectives drove my interests in history, government, and military service. Life abroad came with its challenges, including a hectic family life. Despite the struggles, my time overseas as a dependent proved quite fruitful. The classes I took abroad, especially foreign languages and world history, made me ponder various issues through a well-rounded lens. My experiences prompted me to venture abroad again for a senior capstone project and an international law competition while studying at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.20 My younger brother pur- sues a similar career in the military. He currently stud- ies at Louisiana State University and participates in the college’s Air Force Reserve Officer’s Training Corps and will earn his commission in 2025. I heartily recommend fellow servicemembers pursue an international assign- ment when possible, and I believe the experience would benefit their families who join them abroad. About the Author: LT j.g. Brennan J. Suffern is an intelligence officer stationed in New Orleans, at District 8 DRI. He previously served on Coast Guard cutter James as a watch officer and the combat information center officer. He conducted counter-narcotics, migrant interdiction, and fisheries enforce- ment operations while on board. Through his experiences as a depen- dent and an active-duty servicemember, Suffern has visited countries in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe, interacting with people and navies from around the word. Endnotes: 1. Rymanowicz. “The Importance of Taking on Challenges for Young Children.” 2. Mayo Clinic. “Resilience: Build Skills to Endure Hardship.” https://www. mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/resilience-training/in-depth/resilience/ art-20046311. 3. McCullough, David. John Adams, 226. 4. Brower, “Hard Times Make for Stronger Bonds and Greater Happiness: Here’s Why That Matters.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/04/04/ hard-times-make-for-stronger-bonds-and-greater-happiness-heres-why- that-matters/?sh=4b45c381f73b. 5. Fox, Byrne, and Byrne-Davis, “The Educational Impact of Experience Overseas.” https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.12670. 6. Lang, “Learning a Second Language Is Good Childhood Mind Medicine, Studies Find | Cornell Chronicle.” https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2009/05/ learning-second-language-good-childhood-mind-medicine. 7. Ibid 8. Doppen, “View of Overseas Student Teaching and National Identity: Why Go Somewhere You Feel Completely Comfortable?” https://iajiss.org/index. php/iajiss/article/view/10/30. 9. Ibid 10. Adam, “How Living Abroad Helps You Develop a Clearer Sense of Self.” https://hbr.org/2018/05/how-living-abroad-helps-you-develop-a-clearer- sense-of-self. 11. Ibid 12. Holzapfel, “Raised on Resiliency: How Military Parents Shape Their Child’s Experiences.” https://www.af.mil/News/Commentaries/Display/ Article/2588316/raised-on-resiliency-how-military-parents-shape-their- childs-experiences. 13. Ibid 14. Werkman et al., “The Psychological Effects of Moving and Living Overseas.” https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-7138(09)61651-4. 15. “Moving Overseas with Children.” https://www.militaryonesource.mil/ housing-life/living-abroad/moving-overseas-with-children. 16. O’Connell, “Gapped Billet Squall on the Horizon: The USCG Officer Corps Could Be in Trouble | Center for International Maritime Security.” https:// cimsec.org/gapped-billet-squall-on-the-horizon-the-uscg-officer-corps- could-be-in-trouble. 17. Hooper, “Personnel Shortage at U.S. Coast Guard Sinks 10 Cutters, 29 Stations.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/craighooper/2023/11/02/personnel-shortage- at-us-coast-guard-sinks-10-cutters-29-stations/?sh=27c21928648c. 18. Winkie, “After Missing Goal Again, Army Announces Sweeping Recruiting Reforms.” https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2023/10/03/after- missing-goal-again-army-announces-sweeping-recruiting-reforms. 19. Biden, “Parents: The Resilience and Grit of Military Children Is Unparalleled.” https://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces/blog/2022/04/20/parents-the- resilience-and-grit-of-military-children-is-unparalleled. 20. IIHL, “20th LOAC Competition for Military Academies.” https://iihl. org/20th-loac-competition-for-military-academies.
