If you're noticing more purple than usual recently, it's for a reason. April marks Month of the Military Child, a monthlong campaign to recognize military kids, and their strength amid the specific challenges they face, by using the color purple to celebrate.
According to the Department of Defense,“there are more than 1.6 million military children who face many challenges and unique experiences as a result of their parents’ service.”
“Military kids are tough,” Adriene Engstrom, military spouse and mother of two, tells TODAY.com. “Through moves, transitions and even caregiving, they see the light and opportunity in everything.”
Engstrom, who works with Blue Star Families — an organization that helps raise awareness of the distinctive challenges of military family life — says that military life is especially challenging for children of service members.
“We often forget about their potential struggles and Month of the Military Child asks us to take that moment, celebrate their strength as supporters and recognize how this adventure likely looks through their eyes,” she says.
What Is Month of the Military Child?
April is designated as Month of the Military Child, a celebration of the important role children play in the military community. Schools nationwide participate in "Purple Up For Military Kids" and engage in activities that honor the sacrifices made by children of service members.
This year marks the 36th anniversary of Month of the Military Child, which was created by former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger in 1986. The color purple is used because it represents all branches of the military.
Military families experience separations from their service member for a number of reasons beyond deployment including: temporary duty travel (TDY), training, and geo-baching, a common scenario where a military family separates, leaving the spouse and kids in one location while the service member reports for duty in another.
"It is important to put a spotlight on military kids, because they sacrifice so much that allow their parents to selflessly serve," Karissa Poe, a Blue Star Families chapter director in Tampa, Florida, tells TODAY.com. "They often have to sacrifice having their parents at milestones, birthday celebrations, school activities, and so many other celebratory events."
According to a recent study of 9,300 military families, the impacts of service on family life continues to be a top concern for active-duty families, with time away from family as a top five issue for active-duty, National Guard and Reserve family respondents.
The study also found that one in three active-duty family respondents (32%) with at least one child enrolled in grades K-12 for the 2021-2022 school year had a child (20 years or younger) experience bullying on school property in the 12 months prior to survey fielding. And 16% of active-duty family respondents with at least one child in grades K-12 report their child (or children) does not currently receive mental health care, but they would like them to receive it.
Suzy Malloy, a Navy spouse and mother of three, tells TODAY.com that military kids often have to reinvent themselves with each move.
"Making friends isn’t easy; imagine being the new kid every two years. Their support system is ripped apart (and) every school in this nation is run so differently than the next that they have to learn everything over again," Malloy says. "Society and our communities need to know that military kids, although resilient, need a little shout-out once a year to say thank you to them."
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