Meddling For The Sake Of Meddling?

2014-12-31T05:19:10-05:00

From The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/two-childrens-book-authors-thought-military-brats-deserved-a-better-name-the-brats-thought-otherwise/2014/12/29/6a584f98-87d3-11e4-9534-f79a23c40e6c_story.html

Two children’s book authors thought military ‘brats’ deserved a new name. The brats thought otherwise.

Would you rather be called a brat or a champ? The answer might seem obvious. Why choose to be an unruly, impudent child when you could be a valiant victor? That’s what Debbie and Jennifer Fink thought, anyway.

The Bethesda, Md., mother and daughter are the authors of “The Little C.H.A.M.P.s,” a 58-page self-published book aimed at the elementary-school-age sons and daughters of U.S. military personnel and their civilian schoolmates.

It tells the story of five military dependents, or “brats,” as the offspring of service members are commonly known. They include Gonzo, an Army brat whose father is about to deploy for the third time; Lo, a Marine brat whose father has received a medical discharge; and Smiley, a Navy brat whose family has moved seven times in his life.

Except the book doesn’t call these characters brats. “We are called the Little Champs, because CHAMP stands for Child Heroes Attached to Military Personnel,” narrator Smiley explains. “We sure like the way that sounds.”

Well, you’re about the only one, Smiley. Around Thanksgiving, a clarion call went out across social media: Debbie and Jennifer Fink were trying to abolish the word “brats.”

The brats mobilized for war.

EDITORIAL COMMENT:- Not to worry, those two are going to be getting highly paid positions with the US government's "Department of Convoluted Names Which Produce Cute Acronyms That Totally Mis-describe Things".

Two children’s book authors thought military ‘brats’ deserved a new name. The brats thought...

The authors tried to come up with a new name for military children. But the brats didn’t approve.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 5:24 AM

2014-12-31T05:24:40-05:00

More nonsense. Victory cigarettes by another name. lol

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 31 at 2014 12:49 PM

2014-12-31T12:49:42-05:00

COL Ted Mc, I would say, "much ado about nothing." No one that I ever encountered associated the term "Army brat" or "Navy brat" with brattish behavior. My wife was a "Navy brat" and has never thought a thing about it.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Dec 31 at 2014 2:39 PM

2014-12-31T14:39:38-05:00

I was a Marine/Navy BRAT and my kids are Air Force BRATS!