Subject: Origin of the term “Military Brat”
Thanks to Doug P.
I found this interesting. The following article was reprinted (without permission) from an item by the president of the Air Force Association in a 2014 issue of Air Force Magazine. It may be a revelation for most of us who have used the term, but did not know its origination. I copied it from the March 2020 55th Wing Association quarterly newsletter.
Many of you may know that the term ‘BRAT’ is a common reference to the children of military members. It is a term of endearment, referring to a group who often endure hardships, frequently move, change schools, leave behind friends, put up with deployments, long absences of their parents, and sometimes inadequate government housing.
A researcher at the National Defense University found a book written in 1921 which described the origins of the term. It came, like many of our military traditions, from the British Army. It seems that when a member of the British Army was assigned abroad, and could take his family (mostly to India), the family went with the member in an administrative status entitled: BRAT, an acronym for: BritishRegiment Attached Traveler.
Over the years, it was altered to refer only to the children of the military member since the wives of the British Army objected to the term referring to them. (Perhaps reminiscent of the suggestive term “camp follower’?)
The term not only stuck, but in many cases was adopted world-wide and used by specific services, Air Force Brat, Army Brat, Navy Brat, etc.
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So now you know how you and/or your kids became known as ____ BRATS.
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- REUNION AT AMBERLEY DECEMBER 2023 8th Dec or 15Dec
- UPDATE JUNE JULY
- REFORMATIONOF 35SQN
- DECLASSIFIED DOCEMENTS VIET NAM WAR 1950
- LUSCOMBE FIELD NUI DAT 1966 1971
John SambrooksNews Previous post: RMAF Caribou & L-4 Phantom Next post: CONDOR CRASH .WALLEY jolley 82 P.O.B. IN CARIBOUSambo, In reading Bill Pike’s email, and in particular the over weight takeoff due to a nested ammo pallet, I recall the incident very well. The aircraft was 173 and it was out of Vung Tau for Bac Liu; the load was manifested as 3 pallets of munitions at 2,000 pounds each. This put us a little overweight but a fairly normal event. On takeoff the pilot flying from the RH seat rotated around 85 knots but apart from the nose coming up not much was happening until around 95 knots when it reluctantly lifted off. The Captain (Bill Pike) took over and the climb was slow. In carefully examining the load I noticed that the back pallet was two pallets nested as one, so we had a 4,000 load at ramp end and 2 2,000 pallets further forward; the Takeoff weight was therefore around 31,000 pounds and the CofG way aft of the limit. With cruise power we made 115 knots. Apart from passengers, the other record attempt sought was carrying empty 44 gallon drums. We organised Master Sergeant Gene Orgeron at Camau put some aside and, as best I can recall, we managed to fit in around 90 – cockpit entry was via the bottom hatch and it was a bit crowded. Cheers AussieMarch 26, 20200