Does anyone remember as far back as 8th grade? Probably not. It’s one of those years where your body is still changing, you’re trying to block out the embarrassing moments, and just want to make it to high school. For some people at least. However…

This is the year I met my best friend.

It was the middle of the school year and I was sitting in 4th period English class. Being from a small Christian school, it wasn’t often that we got a new student. She was coming from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Only later would I find out that she was part of a military family.

As a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, home to Fort Bragg, you would think I understood. But, I didn’t.

Not long after meeting, we were inseparable. 

We talked in between classes, were on the cheerleading and soccer team together, texted constantly (when her phone wasn’t taken away) and shared everything with each other (even lunch). I vividly remember going to her house for the first time.

On their wall hung a house with a sign that said, “Home is where the Army Sends Us” and beneath it was a list of towns and states.

Her mom caught me looking at and said, “These are all the places we have lived.”

Instantly, my mind was in shock. There had to have been 11 or 12 places.

Then, I heard her mom say, “We move about every two years.” I knew then that our time would be short. Although it made me sad, there was still much more to embark on. 

Our ninth grade year came around and we spent it side by side. From the cheerleading competitions, sleepovers, birthdays, soccer games, to driving for the first time, we did not miss a beat. 

Did I mention that her mom ended up being our 9th grade English teacher?

Not only did she know our grades and if we turned in our assignments, she also knew all the juicy drama going around the 9th grade. As a mom, what a spectacular place to be in.

As two teenagers…not so much. Within that year her dad deployed. They were sad to see him go, but knew it was a job he had to fulfill.

In their home, this was normal, but to me it seemed so foreign. 

Her mom had a strength about her. 

She kept everything in order as if nothing had changed. She was independent and confident. She provided her care and support, but was also outspoken. She didn’t care what others thought and would always give you her honest opinion. 

Shortly after her father returned home from deployment, I found out that they would be moving to Wiesbaden, Germany. 

I was devastated. It reality hit me like a brick. We spent as much time as we could together those last few months, and it eventually came to an end. We said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch. 

You would think most friendships like this would fizzle out, right? 

In most cases they do. However, for the next six years we kept in touch, we built a stronger friendship, and we traveled to each other. From the great state of Texas, to Washington D.C., to a small war college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and of course Fayetteville, North Carolina.

We continued to make memories and build a friendship that would last a lifetime.

And then (in the span of a couple years), we both because military spouses.

The Author and her BFF turned Battle Buddy, Emily Hall

Now our friendship has taken on a whole new meaning as we joined the ranks of other spouses who find their battle buddies through the military and motherhood.

I went from being an observer of military life to being immersed in it.

In the last three years we have managed to live together, meet our husbands in the same town, marry into the military lifestyle, have children of our own, raise them as friends, and go through our first deployments as military spouses. 

And once again, she moved away from me. 

At this point, we have adapted. I understand a bit better about the moving and I know it is part of the lifestyle.

However, that will never change the friendship we have. Through the years we have watched each other grow and blossom from teenagers to young adults.

The military brings you wonderful people, whether it be for a short period or a lifetime. I will forever cherish the person that she is and I will always remember that…

We are never far apart!

*For more from Claire Schwartz, go to our  Band of Bloggers Page.