Military Child Appreciation Month: Two Former Army Brats Perspective

Military Child Appreciation Month. Virginia wedding photographers Tye and Tanekwa stand and watch Soldiers during a training exercise.Few people know that April is Military Child Appreciation Month. We didn’t find out about it until later in life but we’ve always thought back to our days of living in various places fondly.

How many can say they were born in Alaska or lived in Hawaii? We’ve even experienced a few earthquakes in Cali.

Our experiences as “Army brats” have helped us connect with so many people and we wouldn’t change it for the world. Yes, our dad was sometimes away for birthdays or got home late. But his choice to be in the military shaped the way we saw the world.

We learned about lowriders, hula, and so much more.

Most Memorable Memory

Tye: While living in California, our dad saw a music video that changed his life, Gangsta Lean by D.R.S.

After watching the video, he turned his 98 Regency Oldsmobile into a lowrider. We would go to car shows and I loved buying every new issue of Lowrider Magazine.
But my favorite memories are of us making music videos when we lived in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He would let me drive his lowrider while my sister would hit the switches. We made videos to Dr. Dre’s Let Me Ride and Ain’t Nuthin But A G Thang.

 

Tanekwa: The earthquake. My sister and I were riding our bikes and we started hearing all the dogs in the neighborhood bark. But as little kids, we didn’t think anything of it. The next thing I know, we heard rumbling and the ground started to shake. Our parents ran out of the house and snatched us off of our bikes.

Throughout the night, the tremors continued. We had no power and had to use chem lights to see where we were going in the house.

Fast forward to 2011, while working in Crystal City, the same rumbling happened. My coworker and I glanced at each other and said earthquake and continued working. We both were former Army brats and lived in Cali around the same time as the big earthquake and 1988.

How did these experiences shape us?

Our experiences led us to join the Army as well after high school. Where we learned about photography and videography.

Now as wedding photographers and videographers, we’re continuing to learn about other cultures.

So cheers to all the military children out there!

To learn more about us and our business, please check out our website. Or if you’re looking for an experienced wedding photography team to capture your special day in Virginia or beyond, fill out our contact form.

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