Apr 28th

Not the Only One

By Jocelyn Green

I’m posting this story in honor of the Month of the Military Child to remember the children of the heroes who don’t come home, and to give them a voice. If you are strong enough to read it, I think you will be very blessed by the words of this little boy.

Major Steve Harrold, founder of Knights of Heroes, says he didn’t expect the impact his camp would have on the boys’ mothers who accompany them to camp.

“It’s the friendships they develop with other widows,” said Harrold. “To come here for a week and share their stories, talk about challenges they’re facing and get advice, is really big. It means a lot for them to see that other people care about what they’re going through. It’s important to know they’re not alone and not forgotten.”

Nine-year-old Tanner Hartwick has attended Knights of Heroes since it began, and in September 2008, chose to write a school assignment about the experience:

I’m Not the Only One

One evening mom says, “Do you want to go play at the neighbor’s house?” My sister and I said yes! So we played at the house and then my mom asked Haley to come here. When my sister came out, she was crying so hard that she couldn’t talk to me that well. But then I went in and said “what did you say to her?” My mom said “son, your dad died.” At that moment I thought I was in a dream and ran home like a cheetah! When I got home, I ran into my mom’s room and looked at a picture of my dad. I remembered the last words he said to me were I love you and I said I love you too. My mom came in and hugged me.

A couple of months later my mom heard on the radio about a camp in Colorado called Modern Day Knights (now Knights of Heroes). I went to the camp. When I saw all the boys that lost their dad too, in my mind I knew that I wasn’t the only one without a dad. That week I made a lot of friends and it was cool!  I was out camping in the woods and doing lots of boy things. It was more fun then going to Disney World and made me feel better to know that I wasn’t the only one. My mom and sister had fun doing girl things too. I wait all year for camp time to come again. This year will be my third year.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling” (Psalm 68:5).

Prayer: Lord, show me how to support those who feel forgotten.

bbiraq*This devotion is an excerpt from Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan (AMG Publishers, fall 2009), which I co-authored with Jane Hampton Cook and John Croushorn. Order your copy from Amazon.com.Do you qualify for an extra $500 per month? »

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Apr 28th

Haley's Testimony

By Jocelyn Green

While this story may be difficult to read, I’m posting it in honor of the Month of the Military Child to remember the children of the heroes who don’t come home, and to give them a voice. If you are strong enough to read it, you will be very blessed by this daughter of a fallen hero. Tanner Hartwick, who you heard from earlier, is Haley’s little brother.

Thirteen-year-old Haley Hartwick gave the following testimony at a Fields of Faith Rally for Fellowship of Christian Athletes in October 2008:

In December 2005, my father left for Iraq on his second tour. I didn’t realize it would be my last goodbye. On April 2, 2006, my mom, my seven-year-old brother and I received tragic news that my dad had been killed in action while on a flight mission the day before. We were all broken hearted. All I could do that night was cry my heart out. Friends and our church family came for comfort. I stayed locked up in my room. I was asking God why He had done such a dramatic thing to me. Why me Lord? Why such a great man? At the time it was so hard to glorify and understand the Lord but my mom always said to praise the Lord through the good and bad. My mother was such a great role model through this time. She led us strong with encouragement.

God was testing our faith for him. When God gives you a situation you have to try your hardest to praise him and make it. A few months after the death this wonderful organization (Snowball Express) gave us a trip to California with other Gold Star Families. I came home from the trip overwhelmed by how much God has really blessed me by having 10 years of memories to cherish. I knew my dad loved me and I know my Heavenly Father up above loves me. As long as you have faith you’ll be good, because faith is like a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it gets.

The Addison Road song called “Hope Now” says: “Everything rides on hope now, everything rides on faith somehow, when the world has broken me down, your love sets me free.” I honestly believe that is exactly what it does. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me if have faith, trust and love the God almighty. I know for sure I’m going to see my dad and God someday in heaven. Are you?

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will not enter it” (Mark 10:15).

Prayer: Lord, grant me child-like trust and faith in you, even when life isn’t what I expected.

bbiraq*This devotion is an excerpt from Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan (AMG Publishers, fall 2009), which I co-authored with Jane Hampton Cook and John Croushorn. Order your copy from Amazon.com.

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Apr 22nd

Knights of Heroes

By Jocelyn Green

In honor of the Month of the Military Child, I’d like to share this story to remember the children of the heroes who don’t come home. If you know a family who has lost a military member in Iraq or Afghanistan, please share this with them.

In November 2006, U.S. Air Force Major Steve Harrold, then stationed in Colorado Springs, lost a good friend who was killed in an F-16 crash in Iraq. He left behind a wife and five children, two of which were sons the same ages as Harrold’s boys: seven and nine years old. Harrold felt called to do something for these boys and others like them who had lost their fathers to the war.

Partnering with Journey Chapel Pastor Eric Eaton in Monument, Colo., a one-week camp was born in June 2007 called Modern Day Knights, later named Knights of Heroes. Sixteen boys from five states came to spend time together, be paired with a mentor and spend their days kayaking, rock climbing, camping, and doing other outdoor adventures. The camp pays for all expenses, including airfare for those who come and hotel stays for the moms and siblings.

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Apr 18th

The Reality of Mommyhood

By Nancy Sheridan
 Saturday, October 17, 2009 

I ran into a friend of mine while I was out with my family and it was a sweet run in...when we were parting she said I don't know how you moms of multiple children do it! Well...for those of you who see me smiling with my children looking clean and behaving somewhat well, here's the reality. 

The toddler and preschool years were incredibly tough! I was grinning ear to ear when you saw me because I was so THANKFUL to God that I actually made it to the church! My kids behaved well because they knew they were under DEFCON 4 alert! I've had a child scream for 3 hours because she wanted her own way and I wouldn't let her. I've had to drag a child to the bathroom at church after he threw himself on the ground to protest potty training (for 6 months). I homemade all their baby food, then went on a Wendy's drive-thru stint (raising my cholesteral count for the first time in my life) when Steve deployed. I felt that God made them beautiful just so they would live long and prosper! I cried and gnashed my teeth. I had children that didn't like wearing their poopy diapers! I had a child that clung to my leg and whined. I had one that touched and tasted everything and REALLY enjoyed crawling on the floor of public bathrooms...WHOAAAA!!!!

Then...they all hit at least 4 years old. And the world slowed down. The birds sang. And I could breathe. When the three turned 4, 5 and 6 I thought I had gone to heaven. The issues didn't happen at breakneck speed and I wasn't scrambling all over the floor. I made peace with my mommy brain or lack thereof. My children began to listen and some of my hard work started paying off. My husband came home from Iraq. I began to cook again. Our family was reunited and mending. Then came Nathan and a house addition. In actuality, peace came to our home. God granted it to us and I receive it with open arms. We made it through some storms!

So when you see me smiling and floating on air as I show off my chubby bundle of joy...know that this season I'm thoroughly enjoying came with a price...a lot of hard work, a lot of time flat on my face before God, and a lot of blood sweat and tears. Literally. And yes, now I am having the time of my life! I can certainly do all things with Christ who strengthens me!
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Apr 13th

OPERATION WE ARE HERE RELEASES ‘BRAT TOWN BUGLE’ - A FREE RESOURCE FOR MILITARY CHILDREN

By Jocelyn Green
FORT LEWIS-- In conjunction with the Month of the Military Child, Operation We Are Here announced it’s release of a free, downloadable newspaper for children. Brat Town Bugle: A Publication of Non-Recruits in Big Boots was developed by Benita Koeman, the founder of Operation We Are Here to bridge the gap between her children and their deployed father.

Following her husband’s recent R&R (rest and recuperation), she was blatantly aware of the memories continuing to take place at home that her hus-band was missing out on and that the kids weren’t verbalizing over the phone. With her husband's impending birthday, the home school mom had the idea of creating a newspaper, a concept that allowed their children to have fun writing and drawing for their dad in portions that weren't overwhelming to them.

What's up with "NON-RECRUITS IN BIG BOOTS?" Military children are not recruited to be military brats; they just are. They have "big boots" to fill, and this Month of the Military Child, we celebrate and pay tribute to all military children who serve along with their parents! Operation We Are Here has a reputation of having a clearinghouse of resources for the military family and for military supporters. Also check out their exhaustive list of resources for military children and teens! For more information on Operation We Are Here or Brat Town Bugle, visit http://www.operationwearehere.com/BratTownBugle.html.

About Operation We Are Here:
Our mission is to create an awareness of the challenges of families/loved ones of de-ployed military personnel, to offer practical suggestions to churches, communities and individuals on how to support and encourage the military home front, and to provide a comprehensive list of resources for families/loved ones of deployed military personnel.
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Apr 10th

April 16 Military Children Joining CMW On Our LIVE Talk Show

By Patti Katter

child

 THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD

This coming Friday night... April 16 at 9pm EST join us for the CMW Weekly Encouragement LIVE talk show! We will spend the hour talking about our Military children, the special challenges they face and what a blessing they are to our community! A couple of our military children will be joining us on this amazing show!

Military children go through an array of emotions, just like we do when it comes to PCSing, deployments, loss of friends and more.  Let's celebrate the military child, and show them how much they are appreciated.

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Apr 7th

Fayetteville, NC Kicks Off The Month Of The Military Child

By Patti Katter
“Month of the Military Child” Kicks-Off at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – In support of the “Month of the Military Child”, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum and Cumberland County Schools have partnered to host a community resource event at the museum on April 10, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Local military and community agencies such as Fascinate U, North Carolina National Guard, Fayetteville Storm Water, Prime Time, and United Through Reading will be on hand to deliver information to military families and museum visitors.

Children are invited to participate in activities including face painting by the North Carolina National Guard and two Iron Mike Puppet Shows, one at 10:30 and one at 11:30. In addition, Truman the Dragon from Kidsville News will be at the museum from noon to 12:30. The City of Fayetteville’s Proclamation for the Month of the Military Child will be read and signed by Mayor Anthony Chavonne at 12:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Jared Tracy at (910) 643-2769, or jared.tracy@us.army.mil.

Admission is free and open to the public.

THE MUSEUM
Located in downtown Fayetteville, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum is part of the U.S. Army Museum System and tells the story of Army airborne and special operations units from 1940 to the present. Museum hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon – 5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday; open Federal holiday Mondays. For more information call 910.643.2774 or visit the website at www.asomf.org.
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Apr 7th

Summer Employment Opportunity for Military Youth (ages 14-22)

By Claire

The summer job always caused a bustle in our home. Applications being sent in for every position from janitorial work at the airport to fast food service. The goal was always to earn enough money to blow on some fun things and then some to save toward the coveted computer or car.

If you have a younger teen (14 years or older) or a college student (up to age 22) they qualify to apply. 

Summer hire program now accepting applications
Apr 7, 2010
By Margaret Banish-Donaldson


RED CLOUD GARRISON - The Civilian Personnel Advisory Center will accept summer employment applications until May 3 for family members, ages 14 - 22.

CPAC officials said the 2010 Summer Hire program, which provides jobs from May 17 for college students and June 21 for high school students is designed to provide young people an opportunity to gain and prepare for future education and career goals, while supporting the Army mission.
Jobs are available in clerical, labor, and non-hazardous work.

Salary for these positions is $5.50 per hour; however, subject to change.

"Federal Law requires all students to have a valid social security number," said Geraldine Jones, CPAC director. "Students are required to have their paychecks electronically submitted to a U.S. bank of their choice. And, no changes to student assignments will be permitted."

Students will be responsible for arranging their own transportation and only will be placed with the commuting distance of the sponsor's duty location, Jones said. Duty locations are Uijeongbu and Dongducheon, which includes USAG-Red Cloud, Camp Jackson, Camp Stanley and USAG-Casey.

Applicants for summer hire positions must be unmarried family members of active duty service members, Department of Defense civilian employees or non-appropriated fund (Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation or Army and Air Force Exchange Service) civilian.

Priority 1: all students ages 16 - 22.
Priority 2: students ages 14-15.

Applicants must submit an online application form, Jones said. Forms must be completed and submitted to the CPAC as soon as possible, but not later than June 15. Persons under the age of 18 will not be employed as caregiving personnel at child care, school-age, or youth centers. Persons aged 16 years and older may be assigned to these programs to perform clerical or labor duties. Supervisors will provide line-of-sight supervision according to DOD Instruction 1402.5 and AR 608-10.

The Summer Hire Program is designed to provide young people an opportunity to gain meaningful job experience, prepare for future educational and career goals, and support the Army mission.
For more information, call 732-7766.  SOURCE

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Apr 5th

New DVD released to help children deal with deployment

By Claire

In celebration of our the little heroes in today’s military. April is Month of the Military Child.

New DVD Helps Children Deal With Deployment

By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2010 – Defense and USO officials joined military families at the U.S. Navy Memorial here yesterday to celebrate the launch of a new DVD created to help military children cope with a parent’s deployment.

“With You All the Way” — a joint effort by the Defense Department, USO and the Trevor Romain Co. — offers school-age children help with preparing for and dealing with all stages of deployment, from pre-deployment to separation to reintegration.

“We are grateful for the dedication and creativity of people like Trevor Romain and the generosity of groups like the USO,” said Barbara Thompson, director of the Pentagon’s office of family policy and children and youth. “With [their] support, we are better able to help bridge the gap that results from months and miles of separation between children and their parents. This is no small feat and the worthiest of missions.”

The free DVD is slated to be distributed through USO centers and Military OneSource in May as part of a children’s deployment kit that also contains a stuffed bear called Cuzzie, postcards, a journal and a set of dog tags inscribed “With You All the Way.”

“The USO is devoted to supporting the military family, especially military children who aren’t able to choose their situations,” said Sloan Gibson, USO president. “Our partnership with Trevor Romain allows us to bring unique programming to these individuals, giving them resources to handle some of the tough circumstances and sacrifices that come with being a military child.”

Thompson echoed his remarks, calling the DVD a “fantastic resource.”

“The DVD helps to let [military children] know that even though it may feel like they are alone, we are with them all the way,” she said yesterday.

The DVD follows main characters Jack and Skye as they help their friends Darrell, Pablo and Brittany deal with different aspects of deployment. Darrell’s brother is preparing to deploy, Pablo’s mother has deployed again, and Brittany is adjusting to having her father back home. It also includes interviews with military families who discuss how they work to stay connected. Noted children’s author and motivational speaker Trevor Romain interacts with the characters and guides viewers through the DVD.

When faced with deployment, Thompson noted, parents and children often deal with a gamut of emotions ranging from anger and fear to worry and uncertainty.

“But something else that I know … is that together they work hard to stay connected and to work through all those feelings,” she said.

READ MORE

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Apr 1st

April is Month of the Military Child

By Claire

April is designated as Month of the Military Child. The Month of the Military Child website has some great information as well as some ideas for lesson plans for teachers, scrapbook ideas and arts and crafts links. Go HERE for more information.

Here’s a sample of some of the arts and crafts links you will find:

Example of the first craft page and directions you will find:

Designed by: Casey Kortas for Fibre-Craft Materials Corp® (www.Fibrecraft.com,www.creativehands.com)
Skill Level: Easy

Decorate a colorful picture frame for your mom or dad using Creative Hands® Cool Foam® Stickers! Just peel & stick to create the perfect gift for the perfect parent!

#1 mom frame #1 dad frame

Materials:

  • Creative Hands® #8685-99 #1 Fun Frame
  • Creative Hands® #22402-01 Crazy Creatures 3-D Foam Stickers
  • Creative Hands® #22432-01 Alphabet & Numbers 3-D Foam Stickers
  • Tape or craft glue

Instructions:

  1. Trim a photo down to 4 ¼-in x 5 ¼-in and tape or glue to backside of frame opening. Replace backing.
  2. Peel & stick Crazy Creature, alphabet and number Cool Foam® stickers to decorate front of frame.
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