Q&A with ThanksUSA Scholar Jacob Gilbertson
Twenty-one-year-old Jacob is one of five J's in his family – Dad, Jeremy (Retired Air Force, 20 years); Mom, Jennifer; and younger siblings, Jared and Jenna. For much of his childhood the family moved constantly, staying in each place only a few years. That is until 2011, when the Gilbertsons made Newcastle, Oklahoma their home.
But then came months-long deployments to Afghanistan for Jacob’s father. These were critical maturing years for the youngster – at 13 just entering his teens and then again when he was 18 in his junior year of high school. Today, Jacob is about to graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a BBA in Economics. He begins law school at Southern Methodist’s Dedman School of Law in the fall, planning to focus on Corporate Law.
The moving, separations, deployments and other disruptions are all too familiar to the nation’s military children, more than 1,650,000 dependent children worldwide (DOD, 2018). Their challenges – moving three times more than their civilian counterparts, for example – make them unique individuals. In this Month of the Military Child, we asked Jacob to share his perspective amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
But then came months-long deployments to Afghanistan for Jacob’s father. These were critical maturing years for the youngster – at 13 just entering his teens and then again when he was 18 in his junior year of high school. Today, Jacob is about to graduate from the University of Oklahoma with a BBA in Economics. He begins law school at Southern Methodist’s Dedman School of Law in the fall, planning to focus on Corporate Law.
The moving, separations, deployments and other disruptions are all too familiar to the nation’s military children, more than 1,650,000 dependent children worldwide (DOD, 2018). Their challenges – moving three times more than their civilian counterparts, for example – make them unique individuals. In this Month of the Military Child, we asked Jacob to share his perspective amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
What were the biggest challenges for you as a child with your Dad in the military?
Constantly moving was one of the most challenging things I had to endure growing up as a military child. I was never able to truly “fit in” and find a community to grow in; and as a child, it was very difficult to deal with. The majority of the kids I tried to be friends with never understood what it was like having to restart from the beginning and essentially keep doing the same things over and over again when it came to going to a new school.
My father being deployed overseas twice was, without a doubt, the most difficult thing I have ever dealt with. Not having my father in my life during the times he was absent was difficult to deal with and overcome, and I missed him so much. I wanted him to be there as I was continuing to grow up and experiencing life as I continued to take on new responsibilities and learn.
Reflect on how being raised as a military child has affected who you are now.
I look back on life as a military child, and I am truly thankful to have the childhood I was given. Learning to adapt to new situations allowed me to grow in ways I never thought I would and develop new ways of thinking that have allowed me to pursue my dreams in life. One of the negative aspects that has come from life as a military child has been how heavy of a self-critique that I put on myself. If I am not preforming to the best of my abilities, I get really hard on myself because I know that I can be doing better, and it can become a burden at times.
Has being raised in a military family inspired your desire to be in public service?
Public service has always been something that I have aspired to do, but living in a military family has definitely amplified my desire to give more to the community. Seeing everything that my father gave during his service implanted something within me that I can’t quite describe, but it really drives my desire to serve the community in any way that I can.
Constantly moving was one of the most challenging things I had to endure growing up as a military child. I was never able to truly “fit in” and find a community to grow in; and as a child, it was very difficult to deal with. The majority of the kids I tried to be friends with never understood what it was like having to restart from the beginning and essentially keep doing the same things over and over again when it came to going to a new school.
My father being deployed overseas twice was, without a doubt, the most difficult thing I have ever dealt with. Not having my father in my life during the times he was absent was difficult to deal with and overcome, and I missed him so much. I wanted him to be there as I was continuing to grow up and experiencing life as I continued to take on new responsibilities and learn.
Reflect on how being raised as a military child has affected who you are now.
I look back on life as a military child, and I am truly thankful to have the childhood I was given. Learning to adapt to new situations allowed me to grow in ways I never thought I would and develop new ways of thinking that have allowed me to pursue my dreams in life. One of the negative aspects that has come from life as a military child has been how heavy of a self-critique that I put on myself. If I am not preforming to the best of my abilities, I get really hard on myself because I know that I can be doing better, and it can become a burden at times.
Has being raised in a military family inspired your desire to be in public service?
Public service has always been something that I have aspired to do, but living in a military family has definitely amplified my desire to give more to the community. Seeing everything that my father gave during his service implanted something within me that I can’t quite describe, but it really drives my desire to serve the community in any way that I can.
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Less than one percent of Americans are in the military. For those who aren't, what do you want them to know about families like yours?
Military families are often seen as people who are very patriotic and caring for the country, but they are families that care so much for the community. Even when they are giving their lives and making sacrifices to serve this country, they continue to help out their community and help in any way they can because they care about others.
If you could give your child self any advice about growing up in a military family what would you say?
No matter what happens, continue to keep a positive attitude! Attitude can make or break any situation, so it is important to always choose a good one.
Perspective on COVID-19 from a distance...
How is the pandemic affecting you and your family?
COVID-19 has made things very interesting with family life. We try not to see each other as much as we normally do because I fear getting one of them sick. Working from home has been difficult as well just because being cooped up in a house all day can be really draining. To adjust to all of this, we are just taking it a day at a time and continuing to adapt to the changing standards.
What is the biggest challenge for you under the current circumstances regarding your education?
The biggest challenge with my education right now is working online and at home. I miss being in the classroom with my fellow students and having that personal connection with the class. Learning online is very difficult for me, because I have never done it before and I still have a lot to learn.
Military families are often seen as people who are very patriotic and caring for the country, but they are families that care so much for the community. Even when they are giving their lives and making sacrifices to serve this country, they continue to help out their community and help in any way they can because they care about others.
If you could give your child self any advice about growing up in a military family what would you say?
No matter what happens, continue to keep a positive attitude! Attitude can make or break any situation, so it is important to always choose a good one.
Perspective on COVID-19 from a distance...
How is the pandemic affecting you and your family?
COVID-19 has made things very interesting with family life. We try not to see each other as much as we normally do because I fear getting one of them sick. Working from home has been difficult as well just because being cooped up in a house all day can be really draining. To adjust to all of this, we are just taking it a day at a time and continuing to adapt to the changing standards.
What is the biggest challenge for you under the current circumstances regarding your education?
The biggest challenge with my education right now is working online and at home. I miss being in the classroom with my fellow students and having that personal connection with the class. Learning online is very difficult for me, because I have never done it before and I still have a lot to learn.
"Along with allowing me to pursue my dream, helping my family financially has been the biggest blessing.
I care for my family so much, and I try to help them out financially in any way possible; ThanksUSA has done that for me."
I care for my family so much, and I try to help them out financially in any way possible; ThanksUSA has done that for me."
