April marks the Month of the Military Child. It is a time to celebrate and acknowledge the resilience, sacrifices, and unique experiences of children in military families. For the Aguilera kids, military life is a part of their everyday reality, shaping their lives in both challenging and rewarding ways.
Zafirah Aguilera, 16:
At 16 years old, Zafirah, a student at Minot North High School, has already lived in several different places due to her father’s military career. Zafirah expressed immense pride in her father, “I am proud of how proud he is of himself and everything he has been able to accomplish”. Zafirah has grown up with the exciting opportunity to travel the world. According to her, “My favorite place we have been to is Germany because we got to travel, and my favorite place we went to was Brussels.” However, there are challenges with military life as well. She said, “the most difficult part of being a military child is changing schools frequently and never knowing what comes next.” She remembered feeling upset when the family moved from Germany to North Dakota. Despite the transitions, Zafirah found comfort in Minot’s small-town atmosphere where everyone knows each other. Now she enjoys regular teenage hobbies hanging out with friends, going to the mall, watching hockey games, and going to sleepovers.
When it comes to dealing with her father’s long absences, Zafirah shared her strategy, “It helps that I can text him and call whenever I need to. He answers even when he is doing important things.” When her dad returns from his tour in Korea Zafirah hopes to have him attend one of her track meets. Looking ahead, she mentioned that she hopes the family will be stationed overseas again, with places like Japan or Italy on the top of her wish list.
Zahara Aguilera, 13:
At 13, Zahara, a student at Memorial Middle School, shares her own military child experience including the ups and downs of frequent moves. Zahara said, “The hardest part of military life is having to leave school in the middle of the year”. Despite this, Zahara said she has come to appreciate the close-knit feeling of Minot, where she enjoys spending time with her friends.
When asked to describe her father’s role in the military, Zahara says, “He stops bombs.” Zahara also shared the immense pride she has for her father, “ I am proud of everything he has done for the military and everything he has accomplished”. When it comes to dealing with her father’s frequent absences, Zahara explained, “You just learn to adapt with the changes and it ends up just growing on you so you start getting used to them leaving often.” Though she doesn’t have any specific plans for her father’s return, she expressed that she is simply excited to see him again. Like her sister, Zahara hopes to be stationed in a different country in the future, particularly in France, or anywhere overseas.
Zurie Aguilera, 7:
Zurie, the youngest of the Aguilera sisters, was born in Germany and has already experienced the military lifestyle. A student at North Plains Elementary School, Zurie enjoys the unique experiences that come with being a military child, such as traveling to new places. She loves Minot, especially because she gets to hang out with her friends and go to hockey games. One of her most exciting memories was meeting Tank, the Minotauros mascot, at a hockey game. When asked what her father does in the Air Force, Zurie responds, “I don’t know, he takes bombs!”
Zurie, only 7 years old, shared her own way of dealing with her father’s long absences: “I deal with dad being gone by calling him and doing different things with my mom and sisters.” Her plans for his return are filled with excitement, “We plan to go on a trip when he comes back with my mom, my sisters, and him.” Despite her young age, Zurie’s carefree nature and positive outlook reflect the resilience and joy often found in military children.
For the Aguilera kids, the challenges of military life are balanced by the pride they feel for their dad’s service and the opportunity to experience life in different parts of the world. As military children, Zafirah, Zahara, and Zurie have learned resilience, adaptability, and pride in their father’s career. They represent the countless young people who grow up navigating the complexities of military life, and their stories remind us of the sacrifices military families make every day.
Master Sergeant Fernando Aguilera, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialist in the U.S. Air Force since 2011, has dedicated his career to keeping others safe. He has been on three deployments, numerous temporary duty assignments (TDYs), and is currently serving on his second tour to Korea. His wife, Yvonne Reyes, and their three daughters—Zafirah, Zahara, and Zurie—have stood by his side throughout the journey, embracing the challenges and rewards that come with military life.
