HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Gunnar Elsass’ T-shirt says it all.
“I am from everywhere.”
Not every family can boast that all three of their children were born in different states and different time zones, but for Air Force Maj. Jake Elsass, his wife Jessica, and their three sons – Joey, 7, Gideon, 5, and Gunnar, 2 – it’s all part of the adventure of being a military family.
This month marks the 30th anniversary of Month of the Military Child. This year’s theme, “Their Journeys and Adventures,” perfectly exemplifies life in the Elsass family.
“I’m glad that they recognize the sacrifices of military families,” said Jake Elsass, whose mother, Nancy Keiffer, is from Lima. “I go away for long trips and they get left behind. They also endure sacrifices that aren’t necessarily as obvious as someone who’s wearing a uniform.”
While the Elsass boys are likely too young to understand the impact being a military child has had on them just yet, the evidence is in their everyday lives. It’s why Gunnar thinks that everyone in uniform is daddy. It’s apparent in the friendly disposition that leads Gideon to ask someone he just met to stay for pancakes. And it’s why Joey is proud of his father.
Over the course of the boys’ lives, Jake Elsass has been stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, and for the past three years, Redstone Arsenal. Soon the family will move to Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.
Naturally, the boys have questions about the move — like whether or not there will be Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s there, and if their stuff is going with them. Jake and Jessica Elsass credit Army Community Service, as well as the school liaison officer, and all the support services they’ve gotten at other bases, with helping them through the tricky transitions. From coloring books to Sesame Street videos, the resources they provide bring an understanding of big life events down to the boys’ level.
“It’s all about helping us help them understand what’s going on,” Jessica Elsass said. “They give us the equipment to give them the understanding.”
When asked if he’s excited about moving to Texas, Joey gives an honest answer.
“I don’t know because I’ve never been there,” he said.
While the sacrifices that come along with having a dad who wears an Air Force uniform are always a part of the boys’ life, on a Monday afternoon the rambunctious trio seem to be just that — typical boys. While Gunnar colors, Joey waits to play outside, as Gideon explains what he likes about school.
“I like doing my schoolwork,” the 5-year-old said. “I always get to have a turn. And I like playing LEGOs.”
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