Tax Year 2016: Joined military last year. Away for 6 months. Lived with parents but paid for most of my expenses does this count as independent or dependent?

It sounds like you are an independent.  For you to be their dependent, you would have had to earn less than $4,050 for the year, or be a full-time student under age 24.  Also, they would have had to pay for over half of your support for the year.

Just FYI - Here are some of the basic rules for your parents to claim you:

• Have been a citizen or resident of the United States, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
• Did not file a joint income tax return with anyone else.
• Received more than half his or her support from you. 
• Had less than $4,050 of income for the entire year. (Generally that amount does not include Social Security benefits.)

To qualify as a dependent child, the child must live with you more than half of the year and be under age 19 at the end of 2016, or under age 24 if a full-time student. That's defined as attending school full time for at least part of five calendar months of the year -- whether at home or away at school.

If your child provides more than half of his or her own support, you can't claim the child as a dependent.