The following essay is the first place winner of our 2026 Month of the Military Child Writing Contest. The theme was "The Beauty of the Military Child Experience." Congratulations to Rachel R., a high school freshman! My dad (a U.S. Naval Academy graduate with 20 years of service) has something he always tells me to remember: “Who deserves the truth?” When he retired, adjusting to civilian life in Dallas, Texas, was excruciatingly painful. After moving 8 times in 15 years of

There are countless things to do in Japan - tasty things to eat, fun places to go, and amazing things to see. Here are my top four. #1 Mount Fuji: Mount Fuji is one of the biggest mountains in the world and one of the most popular tourist traps of Japan. The mountain is 12,388 feet (3,776 meters) and takes about 11.5 hours to climb. If you aren't an avid adventurer and just want to view Mount Fuji's beauty, the Fuji Five Lakes is a great spot. Hakone, a hot springs resort nea