College Brat Ella J Wogaman

I am one hundred percent genetically Marine. No, I don’t have fins or flippers, I can’t breathe under water, and the only anchor I’ve ever seen is the one you’ll find with an eagle and a globe. I have, however, been able to sing the Marine’s Hymn since I was five years old, I can spell Lieutenant Colonel without auto-correct, and at age 17 I’ve met more Generals than most people do in their lifetime. I am the offspring of two retired Marine officers who met while deployed in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Because of this, I have never known life outside of a military household.

The idea of spending the next four years of my life at a school full of people who know nothing about the military is a little scary, I will admit. Virginia Tech, however, is like one big military household, with plenty of cadet brothers and sisters who will share in your celebration when the Army/Navy game rolls around each year. Being a military kid is a huge part of who I am and it’s the little things, like loving commissary prices and dreading the next set of orders, that I hope I can continue to share with those around me.