European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 15, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday april 15 2007 Page 9 Home documentary explores transitory lives of military children in the opening scenes of at the age of 111 was raped on a moving often and constantly adapting the new documentary brats a journey military installation by a Soldier says to illustrate this experience Musil Home filmmaker Donna Musil Cap one brat in the film who didst speak uses still photographs military films Tures a defining characteristic of life As a military child asked How they respond to the question where Are you from several no grownup brats re Spond with the answers they have recited since childhood boy in not says one woman in from everywhere says another the process of being raised without a permanent Home under the burdens and expectations of military culture and the Impact the upbringing has Are at the Center of what the filmmakers Call the first documentary about grow ing up military in hoping that this film will help people understand How we were raised and How its affected us Musil herself an army brat said recently brats her first film took More than six years to make Musil said it was inspired by a reunion she had with some old schoolmates she found that despite years of being apart she could talk easily with them because they shared her Early experiences in a Way nonmilitary people did not military brats Are a huge and largely unrecognized subculture in America numbering some 15 million she said Musil wanted to connect those who feel disconnected and also present their stories to the nonmilitary culture i think its important people under stand there Are so Many of us out there she said we Are your spouses your kids your friends narrated by former air Force brat Kris Kristofferson and including Exten Sive comments from Gen h Norman Schwarzkopf an army brat along with a slew of former military children and sociology experts the film will be close to the hearts of Many military members overseas the frequent moves the social pres sures the sense of duty and sacrifice aspects of military life that have affected families for decades and continue to do so today Are All covered but the film goes farther it explores the Lon term Impact of the upbringing including the Darker and less talked about Side effects chief among them is the unspoken necessity in military culture to keep confidential anything that might tarnish or besmirch the career of the family Active military member appearance was very important in my family says one brat violent spousal abuse depression and alcoholism were All kept behind closed doors in the households of the interviewees their Impact internalized by the the children in the film of the incident for four years because it was socially unacceptable to do so in and archival footage of families from As far Back As world War ii underscored by the process of being raised without a permanent Home under the burdens and expectations of military culture and the Impact the upbringing has Are at the Center of what the filmmakers Call the first documentary about growing up military the military setting youre expected to keep these deep dark secrets and then youre expected to grow up and be this Normal function ing adult a number of songs by Kristofferson the air Force donated tons of foot age Musil said the 84minute film will be shown several times on an this month to the film Doest dwell on the Nega coincide with the month of the military Tive it also chronicles Many positive aspects of a military upbringing such As living in overseas locations and the Independence Many brats gain from child seven years after she started the project Musil said on of its most important themes has to do with the subtitle our journey Home because there is no physical place to return to for the comforts of childhood the Only place where Many military children feel Home is with one another she said one of her motivations for making the film was to help them All get there though brats cant go Home she said we can with each other email Ben Murray at an listings a journey Home is scheduled to appear on an at the follow ing times Sun of family 8 pm Mon an family 2 am 11 am sat of Pacific 6 am sat Anat Panfic 11 am sat of Freedom 11 am x co 0 cd Brasfi Lucom Donna musics documentary on the life of a military brat will be shown on an during april the month of the military child