Values learned as brat translate to military career

Photo By Mikayla Mast | Staff Sgt. Hayden Murray, second-generation 100th Missile Defense Brigade crew member, left, says the values he learned as an Army brat guide him in his military career. His father, retired Chief Warrant Officer III Kale Murray, right, who also served as a crew member with the 100th Missile Defense Brigade, currently serves as the government lead for the Sensor Manager Qualification Course for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. Murray holds his oldest son, Lane, who will be learning his own Army brat lessons.  

REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, UNITED STATES

04.22.2020

Story by Mikayla Mast 

U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama –Many military brats grow up to serve the United States like their parents, but only a few have the opportunity to serve where their parents served.

Staff Sgt. Hayden Murray, a second-generation crew member of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (Ground-based Midcourse Defense), says he always planned on serving, but did not imagine he would be serving with the Soldiers he has known since he was a child.

“I always knew I wanted to be in the military, but I didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps per-say,” Murray said. “I never knew I would be working in missile defense or space operations.”

Murray said his father, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kale Murray offered him some sage advice about what he should do in the military: do something you cannot do in the civilian world.

“I took that to heart,” Murray said. “I was young and just wanted to jump out of planes and run through trees, so I joined the paratroopers as a medic. I lived a hard and fast life and loved it!”

Murray said his father is one of his greatest mentors, and he seeks his guidance in both professional and personal matters. After Murray got married, his father suggested joining the Army National Guard, so he listened.

“He recommended slowing down my lifestyle to provide stability for my family,” Murray said. “So, I joined the Colorado Army National Guard and was chosen to join the 100th MDB as their medic in Fort Greely, Alaska. I subsequently fell in love with the mission. I got selected to transfer over to the missile defense side of things, and I’ve never looked back.”

When Murray transferred to Colorado Springs, Colorado in April 2018, he said everyone seemed to know his father, and many remembered him as a kid.

“The 100th Missile Defense Brigade is such a small brigade,” Murray said. “Many of my senior officers and noncommissioned officers served with my father for many years, and I have known many of my brigade Soldiers for most of my life.”

Besides following in his father’s footsteps, in his current position Murray also has the opportunity to work with his father in a professional capacity.
The elder Murray is the government lead for the Sensor Manager Qualification Course for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, which means they occasionally cross paths in the office.

“Most people never get to work professionally with their parents,” Murray said. “We’ve sat together in meetings and pretended we’re only coworkers - not father and son - but everyone knows. It never interferes with work, but it does bring on some good-natured jokes from all around.”

Besides just working hard because he is a crew member, Murray joked he has to ensure he never slacks off, or someone could tell his father, and then he would have to hear about it at work and at home.

Murray’s work ethic does not stem from fear of his father though, but rather from the values he learned in his military brat upbringing. Growing up, the elder Murray set high standards at home and instilled a drive for success in Murray.

“This drive has helped me in my military career because I know that when something needs to be done, it can be,” Murray said. “And it should be done right the first time. He taught me to never stop learning and never become complacent. All of these lessons have influenced how I serve.”

Murray said that while military brats do not normally have the same stability as other children, a military upbringing can be full of life lessons leading to positive impacts.

“I think adults who were raised as military brats have an advantage over those who weren’t raised in military families,” Murray said. “Being a military brat breeds a different kind of person. Most learn to make friends wherever they go and tend to have a strong work ethic and morals. They’re raised in rapidly changing environments, which enables them to adapt in their adult lives tremendously.”

Murray has two sons, a 2.5 year old and a 2 month old, who will grow up as military brats like their father. Murray said the boys are too young to be influenced by the military lifestyle just yet, but his oldest son enjoys living in Colorado Springs and shares an interest in aviation with his dad.

“He loves watching planes,” Murray said. “We lived on Peterson Air Force Base for almost two years and we’d go watch the planes land for hours.”

As his sons grows, Murray said he hopes they are positively impacted by their military upbringing.

“I hope I can influence my boys like my father influenced me,” Murray said. “I want them to have strong morals and be mentally resilient.”

• Date Taken: 04.22.2020
• Date Posted: 04.22.2020 08:24
• Story ID: 367817
• Location: REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, US