It was not uncommon in the time period my dreams are set in for children to join the service as children, and I had thought little when I had joined at the age of twelve, though luckily I never actually dreamed of those years.
But needing to write to the family's of the children who died under my command is still one of the hardest things my dream counterpart needs to do.
I am sorry that you have to dream of such a thing.