Having a father in the military gave senior McKayla Ferguson a unique childhood.
Ferguson’s dad served in the Marine Corps for 22 years, enlisting when he was just 17. He served in a variety of capacities ranging from infantry to recruitment.
Growing up with a parent in the military was not always easy for Ferguson. She mentioned that though people may think a military kid’s life is interesting, uncertainty is extremely hard to deal with.
“I don’t think people will ever understand … how taxing and crazy it is to have to think my dad might not come home. He might be gone for the rest of my life,” Ferguson said.
Being a military kid impacted Ferguson’s faith. She recalled questioning God’s provision in her life.
“It was like, ‘Lord, why did you give me a dad that doesn’t even want to be around?’ Which wasn’t the case,” Ferguson said.
Moving so many times made it hard for Ferguson’s family to become a permanent part of a church.
“It definitely grew me a lot in realizing that the only people I truly had to lean on were my family and the Lord,” Ferguson said. “God put me in a situation where I was like, OK, then I need to prioritize these relationships.”
Even though moving around was hard for Ferguson, her family found joy wherever they moved. They lived in Maine, California, New York and New Jersey. For Ferguson, moving to new places was often a blessing in disguise. She said each place was perfect for the stage of life she was in at the time.
“The Lord definitely knew when to put us (in) different places,” Ferguson said.
Because Ferguson’s dad was often away serving, her mom had to take on the role of both parents. Her dad’s absence took a toll on her.
“It felt like I was growing up in a single parent home, and I had to take on a lot of that responsibility, being the oldest,” Ferguson said. “It was hard … having to adapt so quickly and not being given the chance to choose whether or not I wanted to.”
Growing up with a parent in the military helped Ferguson develop many positive qualities. It strengthened her ability to make friends and made her observant.
“I have a lot of friends that say social anxiety fears me … I don’t care what people think of me because I’ve never had a chance to care,” Ferguson said. “I’m also able to observe people when I first meet them and understand their stories.”
Ferguson’s military background prepared her for college in ways she could not have imagined. Her childhood gave her the discipline needed for her role as a resident assistant.
“I walk around campus, and every way I turn I know somebody,” Ferguson said. “I am able to talk and connect with people really easily because of how many times I had to move.”
Ferguson now has a new appreciation for her upbringing, which she didn’t have as a child.
“Truly thinking about all of the things that the Lord has taught me throughout my time as a military kid … it’s just like, wow,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson has devoted herself to raising awareness of the challenges that military families face.
“We’re not the ones going to give our lives, but we’re giving up somebody that we love a lot,” Ferguson said. “I feel like we don’t get recognized enough.”
Ferguson emphasized that every military kid’s story is different, and no two families will experience the same thing.
“Every story is different, even within the general context of the military,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said that even though every family’s story is unique, all military families have made sacrifices.
Combs is a feature editor for The Liberty Champion.