The intense lifestyle and need to quickly pick up their lives, means most military families opt for more traditional places to live – such as on base or in a nearby town. But for Presley Alder, an eleven year old fifth grader who attends Glenburn Public School, home looks a little different: she and her family reside on a ten-acre homestead.
In addition to her father, Captain Preston Alder, mom Stevie Alder, and younger siblings Grant, Hollis, and Beau, Presley’s extended ‘family’ includes a menagerie of animals, both domestic and untamed. They have a dog, two cats, and also six goats, assorted ducks and chickens, and one sassy highland cow. “Earl is the most work because he’s getting bigger and pushier. I sometimes think he thinks he’s the same animal [as the goats],” she confided about their cow. Presley’s favorite animals are her dog Sansa followed by their goats. “They’re funny and climb everything. They’re just good company and cute.”
When asked what she liked about living on a farm Presley said that she enjoys all the space, having a playground and trampoline, and neighbors being farther away. She also really enjoys her family’s annual “Farm Fest,” where they invite friends and members of her father’s squadron to join them for a day on the farm. Events have included everything from petting zoos and corn hole to raffles and a woodchopping contest. “I liked seeing everyone petting the animals. And we get most of our wood chopped for the winter this way.”
When he isn’t homesteading part time, Captain Preston Alder is a pilot in the 54th Helicopter Squadron. “He flies the Huey, which, it’s like a really old helicopter,” she said, adding that he used to be a navigator in the B-52. “He was in the bottom of the airplane and told the pilot where to go. He hasn’t talked about which is harder, but he enjoys flying helicopters because he can see [out the window].” Presley shared that her family has been incredibly happy with this career transition because it not only helped her dad fulfill a dream, but enabled them to keep and return to their farm after a year away for his training.
In addition to North Dakota, Presley has lived in Utah, Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama. “Alabama was fun because it was warm all year, but I like North Dakota more,” she said. Her favorite part: school and her friends. When asked what she loved about Minot AFB, Presley mentioned the Starbase program for local fifth graders. “You learn about the military. They also do a lot with STEM. We moved a [pretend] nuke to a safe zone with a contraption [that we made].” When not busy with school or farm life, Presley enjoys reading and coloring. Her current favorite is the Percy Jackson series, which has sparked an interest in Mythology. She also plays piano and saxophone and enjoys sports such as basketball and soccer.
To Presley the people and places she has met and seen are some of the best parts of military life. On the flip side she has found, as many do, that leaving friends behind never stops being difficult and in fact becomes harder as you get older. Despite writing letters, or utilizing apps such as messenger kids, sometimes the distance causes people to drift apart and fall out of touch. Those with ties to the Team Minot know that these experiences have made our military kids all the more empathetic towards new students or those whose friend group has suddenly all PCSd. It is this quality that shines in military kids like Presley.
Presley’s thoughtful nature was evident when she shared her advice for military kids in search of new friends: “Try to make friends, but not too too hard. Let them find you so you know they’re good friends.” Well said, Presley.
