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Naval District Washington Salutes Service Members' Children During Month of the Military Child
Story Number: NNS130426-15
4/26/2013
By Patrick Gordon NDW Waterline writer
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- During the month of April military installations across the globe are celebrating the contributions and sacrifices of service members' children during the Month of the Military Child.
Naval District Washington (NDW) has also been holding events all month-long at its various installations in support of military children and everything they do.
"Military children, youth and teens are an integral part of their military parent because they stand by them, they're proud of them, they recognize their sacrifices and they take on additional responsibilities to meet the needs of their families," said Barbara Thompson, director of Department of Defense's (DOD) office of family policy/children and youth. "That's why we recognize that children serve, too."
There are nearly 2 million children of American service members, and since 1983 the DOD has been committed to recognizing the part they play in the lives of our country's warfighters. Many military children move multiple times before they graduate from high school, and must endure long months of separation when a parent is deployed. The Month of the Military Child and its corresponding events ensure that they and their efforts are appreciated.
In NDW, representatives have been doing their part to show support for those military children. To kick off the month, Naval Air Station Patuxent River held a Military Child Field Day April 1. Included were activities such as a parachute game, a bounce house, dizzy bat and more. Naval Support Activity Annapolis set up a Month of the Military Child information and giveaway table at the Annapolis Navy Exchange April 12.
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) has held a variety of events throughout the month honoring military children, including the Month of the Military Child versus Parent Basketball Game April 19 and the free bowling for military children at Potomac Lanes April 20. JBAB will also host a Month of the Military Child Celebration at Bolling Green Park April 26 from 3 to 6 p.m.
"The Month of the Military Child is very important because it highlights the commitment, sacrifices, and resiliency of our military children," said Amanda Woodyard, education facilitator at the JBAB Military and Family Support Center. "Having an active duty parent or parents requires children to deal with deployments, transitions, and reintegration, all while fulfilling their educational obligations. This is not always an easy task. It is an honor to recognize our military children this month. Their sacrifices have not gone unnoticed."
Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization dedicated to emergency assistance to military families, also held a ceremony honoring the Military Child of the Year for each branch of the armed forces April 11 at Pentagon City in Arlington, Va. Prior to the ceremony, Alexander Burch, Operation Homefront Child of the Year for the Navy, attended the full honors ceremony honoring the visit of the Royal Australian Navy Chief of Navy at the Washington Navy Yard as a guest of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert.
At the Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year awards ceremony, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey applauded the honorees for their support and service to their communities and country.
"These are incredible young men and women who not only do their parents proud, but do their schools proud, their friends proud, their communities proud, and ultimately the nation proud," said Dempsey. "What sets military kids apart is that they have to earn a reputation, and then we move them, and they have to re-earn it, and we move them again and they have to re-earn it again. It makes them stronger, it makes them more adaptable, it makes them more resilient, and it makes us damned proud of them."
For more information on events happening in NDW, visit www.facebook.com/NavDistWash.