BRATS: Children of the American Military Speak Out

by Mary R. Truscott ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 27, 1989

Truscott--a general's daugher--and 41 others try to tell us what it's like to be reared in a military family. Unfortunately, though, apart from Truscott--who writes with some eloquence and insight--the speakers here fail to convey the color and hermetically sealed quality of a military childhood. Their experiences and reactions may differ, but their language choice, meter, and syntax are so similar they could be a platoon shouting out a cadence count. The contributors tell us that they all moved around a lot from posting to posting. Most were happy at that prospect--believing that things would be better somewhere else--but usually disappointed unless sent overseas; the best life, it seems, was in Hawaii, Europe, Japan, and other Asian postings. Meanwhile, Dad was always a martinet. He gave orders, they obeyed. Brats who got conspicuously out of line could jeopardize their fathers' careers: Superior officers believed a man who couldn't control children was not promotion material. They also all learned how to make friends quickly, usually with other brats. Most tended to look down on ""civilian"" kids. Interestingly, relatively few chose a military career, but the urge to move to new locations and to change jobs characterizes their adult lives. Of likely interest to the 1.7 million US military ""brats""; civilians may well opt for a deferment.

Pub Date: Nov. 27, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1989

Categories: NONFICTION