Dianne Burner Bitzes and Ian Bitzes
Recorded
July 26, 2022
Archived
July 26, 2022
43:19 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
ddf000568
Description
Mother and son Dianne Bitzes (61) and Ian Bitzes (24), discuss what Military service means to them, even through hardships that arise from being a Military family.Subject Log / Time Code
Dianne (D) asks Ian (I) about his experience as a military kid. She asks I if he remembers his first move as a baby from Colorado to Fayetteville, North Carolina.
D asks I about moving to Iceland and leaving his friends. I recounts that the feeling of being a military brat hit when they left Germany. He discusses his time on Spangdahlem Air Force Base.
D and I remember some family vacations they were able to take while living in Europe.
D and I discuss coming back to the states and how I’s Dad was deployed for 6 months at a time during this period. I recounts how that affected him ,and not wanting to burden others with his feelings.
D talks about separating for I’s dad and feeling like I was alone a lot during that period. I talks about his need for a Father figure.
I talks about a being bullied, and the different approach to life that he finds military brats to have.
I speaks about having been molested, and how he relates to others through that trauma. D and I ponder together how much their experience as a military family was a factor in the abuse.
I reflects on military and family. D brings up military oaths and how that made the divorce very difficult.
D and I recount a childhood experience of I’s in Iceland, and I’s time in chorus in high school.
D discusses her son’s character and how "service before self" is a part of who he is.
I produces a challenge coin from his pocket and tells the story of how he got it, which leads to him telling D he plans to enlist in the Marine Corps.
I explains more about the significance of the coin.
D thanks I, and talks about what what military service has meant to her.
Participants
- Dianne Burner Bitzes
- Ian Bitzes