This is the second in a series of articles highlighting outstanding youth at Fort Riley in celebration of Month of the Military Child.
FORT RILEY, Kan. -- Seeing the world is one of the benefits of being a military child, according to Giovanni Hamanaka, seventh-grader, Junction City Middle School.
Hamanaka has moved with his Family six times so far, and has lived in places like Japan, Miami, the state of Washington, and now, Kansas.
Deciding his favorite place where his Family has been stationed is difficult, he said.
"I'm kind of torn between Kansas and Japan," he said.
Hamanaka said he remembers the Japanese sushi rolls being really good, but he thinks Kansas has been the best place to live so far.
"I've been in Kansas a lot longer though, so I would have to pick Kansas," he said.
Getting to go to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo., last year for a school field trip was a fun experience because the teachers let the students go explore on their own the whole day, he said.
Hamanaka said he has experienced a lot, but one of the best experiences has been seeing how boot camp works.
"My dad was a drill sergeant, and I got to see him work," he said. "I remember hearing someone say 'smoking the privates,' and I had to ask him what that meant, and he explained it to me."
Hamanaka said he comes from a long line of service members in his Family. His grandmother and his aunts are all retirees from different military branches.
As far as knowing what he wants to do when he grows up, like many seventh-graders, Hamanaka is undecided.
"I've thought about joining the Air Force because it pays for college, and I want a good college education," he said. "I've also thought about doing something in chemistry, but I don't know yet."
Right now, Hamanaka said he simply wants to continue with his academic goal of progressing in school.
When asked if he could pick his Family's next duty station, Hamanaka said he thought it would be interesting to experience living somewhere in Europe.
"My Family thinks that would be a pretty cool experience, but going back to Japan, I think, would be great, too," Hamanaka said.
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