My 20th birthday is fast approaching. I am not entirely sure how I feel about that. Turning 18 and going to college felt like steps towards adulthood, but not all the way. Being in my twenties, however, is indisputably adulthood. As I look forward to college in my twenties, I also look back at my teen years and childhood. The military played a huge role in my childhood - where we lived, when my dad was home, how often we moved… It also helped to shape me into who I am. My dad’s retirement...

New Year’s. A time of resolutions, reflection, and fresh starts. My family used to come up with a motto for each year – something broader than a resolution, something that we could aim for as individuals and as a family. One year it was "regaining equilibrium," another it was "managing transitions." The tradition petered out after 2015: “maximizing opportunities”. The inspiration was taking full advantage of with a two-year assignment in London, England. It was, after all, a...

About a year ago, I wrote this article reflecting on what community service meant as a high school student. Particularly, I wrote from the perspective of an individual who did not feel like a true member of their local community after having lived there for only three non-consecutive years. Finding an online community of military-connected teens through Bloom was huge for me – and also how I met my service hours requirement for civics. I’m now in my second year of college, which is its own...