Month of the Military Child

April is Month of the Military Child!  This special celebration is a legacy of former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger – established to underscore the important role children play in the Armed Forces community.  Army Garrisons, State Youth Program Coordinators, Army Reserve CYS Services Coordinators, and Operation: Military Kids (OMK) State Teams plan numerous events ranging from picnics and parades to recreational fairs and fun festivals – all to recognize and applaud Families and their children for the daily sacrifices for they make in supporting America’s Army. 

Get Involved!

• Garrisons – check out your local Youth Center
• Army Reserve – contact your Regional CYS Services POC
• National Guard – contact your State Youth Program Coordinator

There are many ways to find out about additional events going on at Garrisons and in your communities! All Army Families interested in finding out more about MOMC events in their state should visit their state’s calendar page available on the Community Support page of Army OneSource.

Garrisons:

To find out more about what is going on at a Garrison near you, visit their web page. On the Find CYS Services Near You page, click on any state or country to link to Garrison web pages in that location.

National Guard:

To find out more about events near you, contact your National Guard State Youth Coordinator. Find your State Youth Coordinator selecting “Family Program Team” on the “Local Community Resources Finder” page of the National Guard Family Programs site (opens new window). To find National Guard events in OMK States, click on any state from the OMK States Page (opens new window).

Army Reserve:

To find out more about events near you, visit the Month of the Military Child page of the Army Reserve Family Programs website (opens new window). Personnel may also obtain local/state specific MOMC information by sending and inquiry to arcys@usar.army.mil. To find Army Reserve events in OMK States, click on any state from the OMK States Page (opens new window).

Operation: Military Kids (OMK)

 To find out more about events near you, visit the web page of a Garrison or OMK State near you. On the Find CYS Services Near You page, click on any state or country to link to Garrison web pages in that location. On the OMK States page, click on any state to find a calendar of events. (opens new window)

Month of the Military Child was first celebrated in 1986! Check out these DoD news stories to learn about ways that MOMC has been celebrated in recent years:

• 2011: First Lady Cites Military Children’s Resilience
• 2011: DoD Celebrates Month of the Military Child
• 2009: Entertainers Join Elmo to Help Military Families Find ‘New Normal’ (opens new window)
• 2008: America Supports You: Fort Myer Kids Get to Clown Around (opens new window)
• 2008: DoD Services Celebrate Month of the Military Child (opens new window)
• 2007: America Supports You: Military Families Enjoy Circus Fun (opens new window)
• 2006: Defense Department Celebrates 'Month of the Military Child' (opens new window)

What does it mean to you to be a Military Child? The Army applauds Families and their children, who are everyday heroes, for the daily sacrifices they make in supporting America’s Army.

• Watch a video of First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden talk about the important role military children play in the armed forces community! (opens new window)

Find out about additional ways to celebrate MOMC through these organizations that support Military Children!

• Operation: Military Kids (OMK) offers school age military kids fun, educational and recreational activities. Military kids can attend OMK Camps and activities to connect with other military youth, attend Mobile Technology Lab events to learn new skills and use technology to stay connected to their deployed parents. They can also join their state’s Speak Out for Military Kids Speakers Bureau to be an advocate for military kids in their community or throughout the state. To find out more about OMK in your state go to www.operationmilitarykids.org (opens new window) click on “state information” and click your state to see what programs are offered in your area, or you can email support@operationmilitarykids.org.
• National Volunteer Week was established by President Nixon in 1974. The Month of the Military Child provides an outstanding opportunity to include recognition of Army children and youth, who give back so much to their communities, in Installation Volunteer Week ceremonies. The Army has partnered for many years with the Points of Light Foundation in support of National Volunteer Week. Information about the Points of Light National Volunteer Week program can be found at http://www.pointsoflight.org/signature-events-and-series (opens new window).
  • Kids – Volunteer at your Garrison through the Promise Passport program! Promise Passport is open to all Army children that are registered with CYS Services! To get involved, contact the Child Development Center Director, School Age Director or the Youth Services Director at your Garrison. Use these volunteer opportunities to get started! (PDF 110KB, 2pp)