COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to acknowledge sacrifices and unique contributions made by military families worldwide while highlighting the strength of character and resiliency which make military children an asset to our local communities and schools.
Sponsored by the Department of Defense Military Community and Family Policy, the Pentagon, military branches and other agencies use the month to recognize military kids for their bravery on the home front.
“Military children do serve as well because of the things they have to put up with,” said Col. William Denham, 14th Flying Training Wing vice commander. “They have a very unique upbringing and have to get used to the fact of their mom or dad being gone from time to time.”
Military children selflessly share their parents with the military as they endure separations, repeated deployments and navigating multiple moves. In some cases where a parent may return injured, they have to adapt and assist during the recovery process. The adjustment to these circumstances showcase how military children are examples of resilience in the military community.
Denham said that a lot of these challenges can also be seen as benefits, as they help lay a unique foundation for a child. Through each’s respective experiences, children continue their lives being more adaptable and resilient than other children because of the constant changes they encounter.
Some of the advantages of being a military child include going over overseas, experiencing different cultures and being surrounded by other like-minded military families in the community.
Throughout April, the theme "Purple Up" is used over the course of the month as a way to represent children from all the services. Wearing purple is a visible way to show support and thank military youth for their strength and spirit.
“Tribute to this month is important because we all say thank you for your service to active duty and the spouses but we forget the children are a part of this lifestyle as well,” said Victoria Bentley, Columbus AFB Child Development Center assistant program manager.
Bentley and the other workers at the CDC have planned special activities to help highlight the month. They started with a parade to kick off the month and hosted a CDC ball where children came and danced with their parents and friends. Also scheduled is a bike-a-thon, ice cream day, and wacky Wednesdays every Wednesday.
As the month celebration continues, families will be able to participate in many activities, such as a Purple Up Day and a Movie on the Lawn April 12, a Spring Fling April 20 which will feature egg hunts for various age ranges, face painting, petting zoo, games bounce castles and more. The CDC also provides drop in care so anybody can come in and get a chance to understand and appreciate what the children here experience.