Tania Duenas Sweeney had just caught a special moment on camera. Her son and his friends, who were energetically bouncing on a trampoline, paused all at once.
Sweeney, living with her family at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, shared this sweet snapshot on Facebook. She explained why the boys had suddenly stopped their fun. Every weekday at 5 PM, the American and German national anthems are played, prompting everyone to take a pause in respect.
“It’s heartwarming to see these boys halt whatever they are doing to honor both our host country and the good old USA!” Sweeney wrote with pride. “We truly love this community.”
She elaborated that whenever the anthems play, everyone outdoors is expected to stop, face the direction of the music or a visible flag, and show their respect. Everything comes to a standstill on base — adults, kids, and even vehicles turn on their hazard lights to acknowledge this moment.
It’s a lesson in respect that Sweeney cherishes, seeing how her children and the other kids on the base adopt these values early on in life.
“It’s wonderful how these boys have already made this a part of their routine,” she commented. “I was inside doing the dishes when I glanced out the window and saw them standing to attention. It truly warmed my heart.”
She talked about how this behavior is nurtured in various settings.
“My son has baseball practice on base, which begins at 5 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The coaches ask everyone to arrive early because of the anthem,” she explained. Practice grinds to a halt, and it’s “hats off” for everyone during this solemn moment.
“These military kids give up so much in support of their parent serving in the military. They grow up a bit faster, often spending significant time without their military parent,” Sweeney reflected. “Their pride in their country runs deep, especially living on an overseas base. I can’t express how proud I am of each child in that picture. Their respect was genuine, and not because anyone told them to do it.”
Sweeney believes the children of military families carry a heavy load, and part of her goal in sharing the photo was to shine a little light on their often-unnoticed contributions.
