Westlawn families have an amazing variety of backgrounds, and we recently had the opportunity to learn what life is like for one of our military-connected families. 

Meet Dr. Aatif Sheikh, an Army servicemember, and proud dad to two wonderful daughters at Westlawn—Aaliya, who’s in Ms. Chan’s class, and Aariana, who’s in Ms. Barry’s class.

Dr. Sheikh’s military career has taken him all around the world, including two stints in Korea, plus San Antonio, Los Angeles, Afghanistan, Colorado, Hawaii, and various locations here in the DMV (DC, Ft. Meade, Bethesda, and now Falls Church) . Like many military families, the Sheikhs typically move every three years. Of all the places they’ve lived, Colorado was Aatif’s favorite—he loved the affordable cost of living, light traffic, and plenty of family-friendly activities.

The Sheikhs have been in Virginia for about four years now. Living on the East Coast has one big perk—with Dr. Sheikh’s parents living in Maryland, Aaliya and Aariana have had the chance to build a strong bond with their grandparents, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Of course, being a military family comes with its challenges. Aatif shared that frequent moves can be tough, with the need to constantly adapt to new environments and schools. It helps a lot when schools like Westlawn take the time to welcome military families and explain how things work. He also admitted that his job often keeps him from spending as much time with his family as he’d like, especially during special occasions like birthdays and holidays. Aaliya and Aariana agree—nothing makes them happier than when their dad can take a break from work to play with them! Meanwhile, his wife, Chumi, steps up to keep family celebrations meaningful, even in his absence.

Despite the challenges, Aatif believes the rewards of being a military family make it all worthwhile. He’s proud to be part of something bigger than himself and, after seeing so many different places, he’s confident that the U.S. is the best place to call home.

While the Sheikh family may have to say goodbye to Westlawn in the near future due to another move, they’re excited about what’s ahead—especially since this might be their last move before Aatif retires. For now, he’s thrilled that Aaliya and Aariana are thriving at Westlawn and deeply appreciates all the support the school provides to the community.

A big thank you to the Sheikh family for your service, sacrifices, and for showing us what being a military family is all about!

Check out a few photos from the Sheikh family's journey!