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Voices from Travis Air Force Base

Youth Radio talks to two teens whose parents are active duty in the military.

Listen to this Commentary!

By Phil Herrick

Steven Newland: Hi, I’m Stevhen Newland. I’m 12 years old, and we're live on the base of Travis Air Force at the Teen Zone.

Zachary Newland: And I’m Zachary Newland, I’m 13, 2 months and 1/3 years old. I just got interrupted from playing a good game of pool.

Youth Radio: Both your mother and father are in the military. What’s that like? I heard your mother is deployed already.

SN: It’s kinda frustrating at times because one parent is gone and then if the other gets deployed, you have to go someplace else. And having no parents is a lot worse than having just one.

YR: What happens if both parents get deployed? Where would you go?

SN: I would go to my grandparents house in Missouri.

YR: Is it more stressful now?

SN: Not really besides the fact that your mom is gone. It would be stressful without your mom to any kid.

YR: Do you get to talk to her?

ZN: We can basically e-mail her anytime but it takes forever to download over there. And she gets to call every night for about five minutes.

YR: Do you know where she is?

ZN: No. At least I’m not allowed to say.

YR: How do you split up the time among yourselves when you’re on the phone?

SN: Actually since we have more than just us in our family, we all take turns and get about a minute to a minute and a half each.

ZN: You think about what you’re going to say to her, because she usually calls the same time every day. Like a few weeks ago I learned how to juggle and I told me mom that. Just when anything important happens, that’s the first thing you say. Then you might just describe your day at school.

YR: Do you guys think you might one day serve in military when you grow up?

ZN: Maybe, just to help with schooling. Since you can get a grant to get help with your schooling, but then I’ll probably quit after that.