Explaining the Military to Your Children
A quick guide for answering those common questions.
by Whitney Bailey
A better understanding of our military can instill a sense of pride and respect in our children. So dive into the guide below for help with some of their most common questions.
Reveille and Retreat: Your child’s first exposure to Reveille or Retreat might be downright confusing – or even a little scary. A trumpet starts to play and everyone stops moving. You might even find yourself to be a little embarrassed if you continue to move or talk while everyone is at attention.
Explain to children that the Reveille and Retreat are a special time each day when a song (“To the Colors” for Reveille and “The Star-Spangled Banner” for Retreat) will be played over a loudspeaker. While the song plays, everyone within earshot is expected to stand still. Uniformed service members stand at attention and salute while civilians are also expected to stand still, with some placing a hand over their heart. The song playing in the morning means the flag is being raised. In the evening, the song is a signal that the flag is being lowered.
Retreat is also played when honoring fallen service members. This can occur at any time in the afternoon. If you are outdoors when Reveille or Retreat begin to play, stop moving and talking and face the direction of the music. If you are in your vehicle and can hear the music playing, it is proper to stop your car and stay still until the music stops. Many children have their first exposure to our national anthem at athletic events, where spectators respond in a similar way. Explaining to small children that this is how Americans show respect to our flag and anthem can reinforce their understanding.
Gate Guards: I can think of no other place within our borders where armed men and women request proper ID before allowing you to pass. Yet this is standard security procedure at all military installations. Before your children question this level of security, help them to understand these security measures do not mean that an installation is unsafe.
Gate Guards (the other kind): When I think of gate guards I think of an armed patrolman that guards a gate. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that “gate guard” can also refer to pieces of memorabilia such as decommissioned tanks, airplanes or other pieces of equipment at the entrance to an installation.
Gate guards usually hold great significance to that installation. Whether the plane flew in an important mission, or the tank helped American troops win a faraway battle, gate guards are placed near our installations’ entrances as a powerful reminder of the achievements of American service members.
Your Spouse in Uniform: Your spouse must follow “military service etiquette,” a longstanding tradition of rules and guidelines, many of which apply to his conduct while in uniform. These rules include not eating, drinking, or chewing gum while walking, not carrying packages and not carrying an umbrella unless it is black.
Explaining the military to your children (and understanding it yourself) is an ongoing process and this guide is just the first step. Start by reviewing just a few of our traditions and this can lead to a greater appreciation and respect for the great organization to which your spouse belongs.