Air Force Community, Air Force Spouse and Family Resources - Air Force Times

Mission Family: Lots of programs help military kids

Making yet another move to a new city or a new country, dealing with yet another wartime deployment of a parent — military children have more than their share of challenges.

But the Defense Department and the services have taken some steps to increase programs for children and youth, and many nonprofit groups have stepped in to help, too.

• Military Youth on the Move. This Web site offers ways to cope with moving from one duty station to another; visit it at http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/myom. It’s divided into three target audiences — elementary, middle and high school. It offers advice for saying goodbye to friends, keeping in touch, making new friends, getting linked into a new community and addresses issues ranging from deployments to bullying. Some tips come from children.

The site offers suggestions for places for children to meet and get involved in their communities, such as youth centers and activities on base. To find contact information for those centers, go to http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil. Click the “Military Installations” link on the main page, then go to “Youth Programs/Centers” on the drop-down menu.

• Operation: Military Kids. Educational, social and recreational programs are offered, reaching military children in communities across the country. Single-day or weekend camps also may be offered. Defense officials provide money to states to expand camping opportunities, including extra funding for 10 states with large military populations. Check with your local youth center, or visit http://www.operationmilitarykids.org or http://www.militaryonesource.com.

• 4-H and Boys & Girls Clubs. These national organizations work closely with the Defense Department and the services, with programs for military youth across the country and around the world, including children of National Guard and reserve members. Check with your state 4-H military liaison, or visit http://www.national4hheadquarters.gov or http://www.bgca.org.

• Other nonprofit groups. The Armed Forces YMCA and the National Military Family Association have camps for military children. They may be full for this summer, but you can plan for next year. Check online at http://www.asymca.org. They also have chapters with special programs near military installations.

At http://www.nmfa.org, you can find details about NMFA’s Operation Purple camps, geared toward helping children of deployed troops, as well as a variety of other resources for children.

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Karen Jowers is the wife of a retired service member. E-mail her at kjowers@militarytimes.com.