Jamare Bates is a children’s book author and former military kid whose stories celebrate resilience, family, and the courage to face change. Having moved seven times before high school and lived in Germany during his childhood, Jamare learned to rely on imagination to navigate unfamiliar places and new beginnings.
Seven Moves, Two Countries, One Calling: Growing Up Military and Learning to Serve
I grew up learning that home was not a single place, but a shared commitment to family, service, and adaptability. My father served in the Army for twenty years, and by the time I reached high school, I had moved seven times. Those moves took me to five different states and to Germany twice. Those experiences shaped how I understood the world long before I had words for it.
Each move meant starting over: new schools, new friends, new routines. It also meant learning quickly how to fit into a team. In a military family, teamwork isn’t optional, it’s survival. You learn to rely on one another, to respect structure, and to contribute in whatever way you can. Service to something greater than yourself isn’t an abstract concept; it’s part of daily life. It’s watching one parent deploy while the other holds the family together. It’s understanding that everyone plays a role, even the kids.
Those lessons continued into adulthood. As my life became more settled, my desire to serve didn’t fade, it evolved. I found myself drawn to mentoring and leadership roles, particularly in STEM programs for young children. I volunteered with organizations focused on education and community development, always looking for ways to give back. Still, I felt there was more I could do. The question that followed me was simple but persistent: how do I make a meaningful impact?
The answer, in many ways, was already written into my family history. My great-great-grandfather served in the 54th Massachusetts Colored Regiment during the Civil War. When his service ended, he didn’t step away from responsibility, he leaned into it. He returned home and became a pillar of his community, he became a writer and editor of a newspaper, investing time, skill, and care into the people and places that had supported him. His life reflected the same values I had grown up with: service, responsibility, and commitment to others.
Becoming an author was my way of carrying that legacy forward. Writing allows me to share stories rooted in service, transition, and resilience, stories that reflect not just military members, but the families and children who grow alongside them. My first story, “Isaiah’s Moving Day Adventure,” allowed me to give back to my community in a way that feels both personal and purposeful. It’s another form of service; one built with words instead of uniforms.
The spirit of service within the military community is powerful, and it doesn’t stop with those who wear the uniform. It extends to spouses, children, and families who grow up to understand sacrifice, teamwork, and responsibility as part of everyday life. Many military kids carry those lessons forward, quietly shaping their futures around the same values they learned while packing boxes, changing schools, and starting over again.
My story is not just mine - it is also a shared story. It belongs to the countless military families who understand that service is not just a career or a moment in time. It is a way of life, passed down, carried forward, and reimagined by each new generation.
Jamare Bates' life as a military child formed lasting principles that have served him throughout his life. He now authors children's books tailored to military children, to help them find the positives in discipline, regular moves, and learning how to make friends fast. You can contact him at biddlestree.com/about