SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) Life in the Armed Forces has its challenges, especially for the youngest members of the U.S. military community – the 1.6 million kids whose parents are service members.
Often faced with constant change and uncertainty, from their family’s moves every two to three years, to their service member parent deploying suddenly for months or even years, these realities of military life can take a toll. To honor these sacrifices, the military community celebrates the Month of the Military Child in April and Purple Up Day on April 15 each year.
Here are some of the programs the USO runs to make the lives of military kids a bit easier every day, as well as ways you can support and honor these young heroes during April and beyond:
• USO centers are not just a home away from home for service members – they serve the same purpose for military spouses and kids. At many of the more than 250 USO locations around the globe, military children can find kid-friendly activities designed to help them make friends with fellow military kids, or bond with their families, including arts and crafts, family game nights, cooking classes and scavenger hunts. No matter what activity they are engaged with, USO programs are designed to give these children a little fun so that they can forget, even if for just a moment, the stress of life as a military child.
• USO’s Reading Program connects military children and their deployed family members. Through the program, service members can walk into a participating USO location where they are deployed, record themselves reading their child’s favorite story and have that recording emailed to their child – and a copy of the book shipped home. Children can, in turn, record themselves reading a book on camera, add that book to their personal collection and send the recording to their deployed family member.
• On Purple Up Day, celebrated April 15, the USO invites everyone to wear purple to show their support for military children, and to honor their strength, resilience and sacrifices. The USO is hosting 100 Purple Up Day events on military bases around the world. Throughout the month of April and beyond, you can provide additional support to military kids by volunteering with your local USO or by supporting USO programming. Visit uso.org to learn more.
“Military kids are special—they did not sign up for the adventure they are on but are some of the most resilient people that I know,” said Christopher Plamp, USO chief operating officer and retired U.S. Air Force colonel. “I watched firsthand as my daughters dealt with the constant change and struggled to keep friends as we moved time and again. The Month of the Military Child is our opportunity to recognize all of them and make them feel special.”
Photo Credit: (c) USO
