Students and staff parade in front of the school during a event to mark the “Month of the Military Child” at Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas-Nellis Air Force Base Campus Friday, April 5, 2024.
Saturday, April 6, 2024 | 2 a.m.
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Americans sign up to be members of the armed services for a variety of reasons, including the honor of serving their country and the opportunity to see the world while receiving training, education and opportunities for upward mobility. We owe every American who volunteers to wear the uniform a debt of admiration and gratitude because their choice helps keep our nation safe and our economy vibrant.
However, one group of people who don’t get a choice in their service to our country are the children of active-duty service members.
Like their parents, military kids get to travel and see new places, learn valuable life skills and build relationships with a diverse group of people from across the country and around the world. However, many of those relationships are temporary in nature, as new assignments lead to frequent moves, leaving friends, teammates, familiar schools, support networks and social norms behind.
Frequent changes, uncertain timelines and the lack of a sense of “home” can all lead to instability and anxiety for children who didn’t volunteer and don’t get paid for their sacrifice.It can also make success in academics and extracurriculars more challenging, as military kids are forced to navigate new states, settings, schools, coaches and curriculums, all while trying to rebuild social networks.
If the instability weren’t enough, military kids also face more adult anxieties. It’s hard to avoid thinking about a parent who may be deployed in a dangerous place when that parent can’t come home for birthdays or holidays. Their absence also increases the responsibilities and anxieties of the other parent, who is left to fulfill all the duties of home life.
In other words, life as a military child isn’t for the faint of heart.
Recognizing these realities, the Department of Defense has designated April as the Month of the Military Child and calls upon communities around military bases — including here in Nevada — to join in celebrating military children, checking in on them and creating some unique opportunities to help them thrive.
Nevada, which is home to Nellis Air Force Base, Creech Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Fallon has scheduled events throughout the month, including on-base lock-ins for military kids aged 10-17 and on-base carnivals at the end of the month.
However, military and civic leaders, including first lady Jill Biden, are calling upon all Americans to join forces and help celebrate military families.
In 2021, Biden launched the Joining Forces Initiative to support military families.
The initiative, which is sponsored by the White House, provides specific resources and guidance for military families and the people and organizations who serve them.
Examples include basic services like parenting and nutrition classes for parents whose partners are deployed and guidelines to help ensure that the parents of children with disabilities are assigned to bases where those disabilities are not a barrier to access.
The Joining Forces Initiative has also increased opportunities for access to mental health services for military kids who are more likely than their nonmilitary counterparts to face challenges such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse. The program also provides training and support for the children, spouses and family members of wounded veterans, who may face unique challenges as caregivers.
The initiative even provides training resources for teachers and administrators who want to better support military children in their schools and programming to support military-connected children in their classrooms.
“We have an all-volunteer force — and it continues only because generations of Americans see the honor, dignity and patriotism of military service,” Biden said at a virtual Joining Forces event. “How can we hope to keep our military strong if we don’t give our families, survivors and caregivers what they need to thrive? That’s what Joining Forces is about.”
We applaud the first lady, the Biden administration and the Department of Defense for recognizing that the families of those who wear the uniform — including their children — also serve the country. They deserve recognition and support as they navigate the unique challenges posed by service to the country.
Every American, but especially those who work with children or work on or near military installations, should take the time to learn about how best to support the military children in our lives. We can start by wearing purple — the official color of the military child — throughout the month.
More than 1.6 million children nationwide belong to military families, including 15,000 who live right here in Nevada.
Let’s join forces and show our support this month for these special kids.
