Cold War Kids: The Unique Life of US Military BRATs (424)

Cold War Conversations Podcast

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 3 October 2025

⏱️ 67 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Author Tom Hapgood is a US military BRAT aka the child of a parent or parents serving full-time in the United States Armed Forces. He talks about his 5 years in West Germany during the Cold War. He shares the challenges of moving every few years, adapting to new cultures, and the rich tapestry of friendships formed along the way. The term "BRAT" often carries a negative connotation, but Tom sheds light on its origins, suggesting a more nuanced history tied to military families. The stories shared reveal how these children navigated their identities as they lived in foreign lands. We reflect on the Cold War's influence and tensions, yet amidst the challenges, there were countless adventures and opportunities for cultural exchange that enriched their lives. From navigating new cities to forming lifelong friendships, the life of a military BRAT is filled with unique experiences that shape who they become. This episode not only details those experiences but also invites listeners to reflect on their own childhood adventures. Do check out Tom's novel Lost Letters based on his experiences as a BRAT. Buy the book here Episode extras including videos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode424/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Continue the Cold War Conversation via social! F acebook ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social Threads https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations Twitter/X https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:06.0	So we were learning German from a former Messerschmitt BF109 pilot, but apparently had been
0:12.5	taken prisoner of war and brought over into Georgia.
0:16.8	This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to Cold War history.
0:24.7	Please make sure you follow us in your podcast app so you don't miss future episodes.
0:30.0	Author Tom Hapgood is a US military brat, aka the child of a parent or parents serving full-time in the US Armed Forces.
0:39.3	The stories shared reveal how these children navigated their identities as they lived in foreign lands.
0:45.3	Amidst the challenges, there were countless adventures and opportunities for cultural exchange that enriched their lives.
0:52.3	From navigating new cities to forming lifelong friendships,
0:55.9	the life of a military brat is filled with unique experiences that shape who they become.
1:01.9	Do check out Tom's novel, Lost Letters, Based on His Experiences as a Brat.
1:06.7	There's links in the episode information.
1:09.4	I'm delighted to welcome Tom Hapgood to our Cold War conversation.
1:15.1	Bratz is under scrutiny a little bit, the actual history or etymology, of the acronym, I guess,
1:23.8	and that we kind of like the fact that it might have been British regiment attached
1:28.7	travelers.
1:29.8	When the British military would travel the world, they would often bring children with them.
1:36.7	Now, that could be one of those backronyms that, you know, where we sort of, you know, assign it later.
1:42.1	The other one is barrack rats, where we hear that maybe French colonial
1:47.6	troops would also bring their families along and maybe even live in the barracks with the troops.
1:52.1	And so the other troops would call other people's kids barrack rats. It's unsure, but that's
1:57.7	where we kind of liken it to. And it's not necessarily a negative acronym.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Ian Sanders, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Ian Sanders and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.