As Americans, we owe our lives, freedom and thanks to any member of the military. They risk their lives to protect us and it is a very honorable job to have.
Nobody knows this better than kids whose parents are in the military, like Peter Oertel, junior.
Oertel’s dad serves in the Air Force, a job that takes both a brave father and a loyal family.
Because he has a father in the military, Oertel has had to move a lot and to very far-away places. When his dad is deployed somewhere, his family follows him. Oertel said that military deployments usually last around three years.
“I have moved a whole lot. I was born in Washington, then ended up in the middle east, then I ended up here. Last time he went over seas my entire family went to Okinawa, Japan,” said Oertel of all the diverse places he has lived in.
Even though they have moved a lot, which has had its ups and downs, Oertel is luckier than some in the sense that he gets to live with and see his father when he is deployed.
“[My dad] has never been deployed anywhere where our family didn’t go with him. So [missing him] has never been a problem for us,” said Oertel.
Even though he gets to see his dad, a definite positive, moving can still be difficult, especially as a kid and teenager. To resettle in an entirely new place is difficult for all members in the family, but an essential part of Oertel’s dad’s job.
“Moving around a lot can be tough. But its been kinda fun just being able to go around and see different places and get to have that experience. This is first place I’ve ever settled down somewhere, and he plans on retiring here so this will be it,” said Oertel of his experiences with moving often.
Another major concern for most families that have a loved one in the military is their safety. Not knowing what could happen to someone so dear to you can be nerve-wracking. Luckily for Oertel, his dad is on a slightly safer end of the air force though he is still at risk.
“I never really have [worried about his safety] because his [job is] more refueling than actual combat. I’m sure a lot of people who have parents in the Air Force worry about that kind of thing, but it’s not a problem for me,” said Oertel.
Despite his father’s involvement in the Air Force and his respect for it, Oertel doesn’t have much of a desire to go into the military.
“I’ve never been that interested into [going into] the military. It takes a lot of work to get into the Air Force academy,” said Oertel.
Even though he doesn’t want to follow in his dad’s footsteps, Oertel still is extremely proud of his father and has a lot of respect for his job.
“I am definitely [proud of my dad]. Its just cool to see, all the time we will go places and people will stop and thank him for being in the military and doing what he does. I just think it’s really important that he is in the Air Force,” said Oertel.
Oertel’s dad is someone to be respected and admired by all Americans, and so is Oertel and the rest of his family. He risks his life to serve his country and selflessly sacrifices for his country. And his family is loyal to him by realizing the importance of his job and being willing to do what it takes for him to be able to do his job.They are examples of patriotism and loyalty to America, along with any other families that have a loved one in the military.
