Father [fah–th er]: noun. a male parent; a man who exercises paternal care over other persons.
Fatherhood is vast; it is impossible to fit into a single word or action. A single day of celebration is definitely not sufficient, but we mark it on our calendars to remind ourselves that we must honor them somehow.
Fathers serve many roles. They are diaper changers, cooks, coaches, and bike-riding specialists. They are repairmen, bankers, vacation planners, and storytellers. They are givers of piggy back rides and builders of sand castles. If your family is anything like mine, Dad is much better at roughhousing than Mom. And if your dad and mine have anything in common, they serve not only our families, but our country.
It is amazing how parents’ hobbies, interests, and identities shape the hobbies, interests, and identities of their children. Children, are directly affected by the actions of their parents, including the meals they are fed, the clothes they wear, and the schedules they carry from day to day. Children are also deeply affected by their parents’ jobs, for these dictate how much time parents are able to dedicate to their children and the level of engagement with which they interact when they have time for their children. This is especially true for children like me: children of the military.
My dad’s military service quickly became part of my identity. It was the reason we moved six times before my eighth birthday and the reason my two siblings and I were completely reliant on my mom for two seven-month periods during elementary and middle school. It is the reason my family is such a tight-knit unit, but sometimes lacked outside friendships. From the time I was born, my dad’s job was much more than a way to put food on the table. It was a way of life for our whole family.
Because of my dad’s service, I served too. I never had the opportunity for a “normal” childhood. The situations and hardships I faced were not the ones facing most of my friends, and they also did not have appreciation for the same things I did simply because of our different backgrounds. I would not consider all military-related aspects of my childhood to be favorable, but I would not trade any of them for they shaped me into the person I am today.
Through everything, my dad remained true to his number one role: being a father. He constantly provided for our family and supported us in whatever ways he could. He remained loyal to his wife and his children. My dad’s military service made him exceptional in my mind, not only because he was providing opportunities for people he would never meet that could never repay him, but because he served that role on top of his existing one, and because he excelled at both. I treasured every moment I had with my dad, not only because I knew these moments might have been few and far between, but because I knew I was sharing moments with a truly exceptional human being.
Today, as we celebrate fathers of all sorts, we remember those men who serve in two of the most honorable roles: dad and armed service member. We are reminded that their sacrifices and decisions affected, not only themselves, but their spouses, children, and extended families. We are honored by their selflessness and sacrifices for their families and their country and are thankful for their tireless commitment to each person whose life they touch.
– Emily Cluen, Summer Intern