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April is “Military Child Month” and GrowGratitude is on Board!

This post is in honor of our nation’s military children and the heroic sacrifices they routinely make as part of being in a military family.

GrowGratitude Needs Your Help to Increase Awareness and Support for These Young Heroes. Please take a moment to read this post, share your thoughts, and PASS IT ON!  

I was born a “military brat” and have a special place in my heart for the children who are members of military families. According to Wikipedia, once a brat, always a brat. I did not know that.  “Military brats” describes children of a parent(s) serving full-time in the armed forces and also refers to a unique subculture and lifestyle of American military brats.” That may help explain why my heart wants to help (and a few other things).

Fortunately, I believe the perception of “military brat” has changed since my childhood. At that time, the perception seemed to be that being a “military brat” meant gallivanting around the globe, as if it was a “privilege” bestowed upon the very few. And I guess, to some extent that is sort of true. But what We, the People, seemed to forget or at least not acknowledge or perhaps did not realize or consider, is the NOT so “glamorous” aspect of “gallivanting the globe” from the vantage point of the military child.

It is from this perspective that we find irrefutable evidence for and the importance of celebrating these heroes; our heroes, who routinely make profound sacrifices as part of our country’s security and protection. Some of those sacrifices have the potential of having life-long effects and can become consciously or unconsciously a part of how one views and experiences life.

Some sacrifices are unimaginable.

We owe our military children much gratitude, acknowledgement, support, understanding, appreciation, and more.

From a personal perspective, life as a military child was not easy. One of my most vivid memories was when my father was deployed to Thailand as his final service to our country before retiring from the U.S. Air Force. My father was expected to be stationed there for a year before we would see him again. I had just turned 9 years old and it was late Fall around Thanksgiving time. My personal secret countdown until my father left concluded the night before. All I remember about that night was that in the morning my father was leaving us for an inconceivable amount of time. Forever, to a 9 year old girl. And I really really did not want him to go.

My dreaded morning arrived quickly. I don’t recall if I slept at all. But I do recall feeling as though something traumatic was happening and there was nothing I could do about it. Nothing! As I went downstairs, my father and mother stood in the dining room making last-minute preparations and checks. My father looked so handsome in his uniform.

The time came for me to leave for school. My father turned to me and asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I was trying to be so strong and I could tell that he was trying to be strong too. The inevitable happened and the tears began to flow uncontrollably. “I don’t want anything”, I sobbed, as the tears streamed down my face. At the age of 9, I recognized the pain on my father’s face and I knew he too was hurting and definitely did not want to leave us either.

I walked to school that morning, head low, heart heavy, thinking about what it was going to be like when I get home from school, knowing that my father was somewhere far far away for a very long time. My heart remained heavy that entire day as thoughts of my dad plagued my mind. I simply could not imagine life without my dad for such a long period of time.

My world had changed and everything in it somehow looked and felt different.

There are moments in life that you know are going to penetrate deep into the recesses of your mind and heart as the moment unfolds. And there are times when you don’t consciously realize or recognize the full effects or the magnitude of a particular moment until sometime later in life, or perhaps never. These moments can be, undoubtedly, defining moments, whether we are consciously aware of them or not. Their influence is deeply rooted, with considerable potential to affect us throughout the course of our lives.

I can still clearly see the pained expression on my father’s face and feel the depth of sadness that was my companion until my father returned home. No matter what was going on, there was an ever-present sadness casting a cloud over every life event and experience that happened during that time. It turned out that my father would be gone longer than one year as originally expected and when he returned home, he returned as a disabled veteran.

My father retired from the U.S. Air Force having served our country for more then 20 years.

Looking back on my childhood years as a “military brat”, I now and at different points in my life, realize the impact that single experience alone had and still has on me to this day. It’s good to be conscious of that to which you were once unconscious. Sometimes having that awareness helps increase understanding of the nature and the lasting effects of being a military child.

Check out the slide show below regarding our nation’s amazing military children. Some of it may surprise you. Just take a moment. Imagine what it might be like to walk in their shoes.

Military Child Slide Show 

During April, the “Month of the Military Child”, GrowGratitude will be raising funds to help support our military children. And in a sense, they are indeed, OUR children.

The goal  is to raise $5,000. All proceeds will go to the National Military Family Association. 

The National Military Family Association has been the leading 501(c)3 charity helping military families of all ranks and Service branches. Their network of more than 1 million military family members is among the largest in the U.S.

To make a $5 donation to the National Military Family Association, click on the link below. 

The link will take you directly to the “Giving Opportunities Page”. Click “DONATE”.

To donate $5, click “OTHER” and enter $5 or a different amount, if desired.

 http://www.militaryfamily.org/get-involved/donate/giving-opp/

NOTE:  BE SURE TO TYPE “GrowGratitude” IN THE COMMENTS SECTION SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TRACK PROGRESS IN MEETING OUR $5,000 GOAL!

If you prefer to DONATE BY PHONE, please call Caroline Rasmus at 703-931-6632, ext. 325. Be sure to tell Ms. Rasmus that you are donating on behalf of “GrowGratitude” so that your donation will be included in the effort to reach our $5,000 Goal!

You can donate with confidence, because they are top rated by all charity evaluators:

• 4-star rating from Charity Navigator 10 straight years – a distinction attained by only 1% of U.S. charities
• Seal of Approval from the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance
• A+ rating from CharityWatch.
• “Buy” rating from Nonprofit Investor

I am truly grateful for your support and I know the children will be as well.

Let’s Make It Happen and Thank You!

                                                        OXOXOXO

See You Next Wednesday with an Update on the Mission to Grow Gratitude!