A Military Life in Girl Scouting

By Kaitlyn Greer, Communications Manager

Life in the military is never easy for the active member or their loved ones. To celebrate those who served in the military this Veterans Day, I would like to talk about the life of John Liston. John, his wife Sandy and their daughter Molly had the support of Girl Scouts from across the world to connect with during their time as a military family.

Their Life Today
After years of being active in the military, John and Sandy reside in Philadelphia, N.Y., and are avid Girl Scout volunteers. They have been volunteering since their daughter was a Girl Scout Brownie. To them, this is an investment, to help shape our youth into future leaders.

John’s Military Time
For 20 years, John flew fighter jets for the U.S. Air Force. During this time, Sandy focused on raising their family as they traveled to different countries together. With the nature of his work, John and his family moved every two to three years. To anyone, this is a very taxing and stressful experience, but luckily, they had a few things to help them along the way.

How Girl Scouts Impacted Their Journey
As the Listons moved to different countries, they quickly realized that there were very few constants in their lives. Besides school, sports and church programs, Girl Scouts was the one thing they could rely on as they traveled from place to place. They depended on Girl Scouts to make life seem as normal as possible. Not only was this important for Molly as an active Girl Scout, but to John and Sandy as volunteers as well. They made new friends that they still have today and participated in educational programs. It created a safe space during a hard time for their family.

Because they traveled to so many places and experienced different cultures, they were able to experience Girl Scouting in a way that they never would have if it was not for the military. They got to interact with troops in Europe and participate in their own Girl Scout traditions.

As a Girl Scout, whether a youth or adult member, it is important to take adventures and dive into a world different from your own. Military families do this every day; John and Sandy found a rhythm in their lives thanks to this program. They learned so much from taking in the people and influences around them.

Today and every day, thank a veteran in your life and ask them about their experience. You never know what you may learn.