Every day, thousands of students walk into new schools, say goodbye to friends, and completely start over, simply because their parents serve our country.  This April 15th, Moanalua High School celebrated these military students by participating in Purple Up Day. Observed during the Month of the Military Child, the day encourages everyone to wear purple to honor military children for their strength and resiliency. While the Month of the Military Child has been recognized since 1986, the Purple Up initiative wasn’t established until 2011 by the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Military Youth and Family Program. In an effort to promote unity, the initiative’s signature color represents the blending of shades from all branches of the armed forces, including the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and Space Force. According to the Military Child Education Coalition, “there are 1.6 million children of service members, accounting for about 0.5% of the U.S. population.” Although this group is small, it’s important to recognize the unique challenges they face, whether it be frequent moves, parental deployments, or identity struggles. Chace Bustos (10) shares his thoughts on how deployments affect military children, “You know, it’s a little difficult when a parent has to go away for such a long period of time.”

As stated by the U.S. Department of War, the average military child moves every two to three years on average. This means being unable to put down roots, struggling to maintain friendships, and facing frequent academic disruptions. “I would say my biggest struggle I face is changing environments so often, it’s pretty difficult to get used to a new place every two to three years,” shares Bustos. 

However, some military children state that there are benefits to moving often. “I love being able to go to new places,” states Angelina Sapiens (11), a student whose parents have both served in the Army.  Outside of the U.S. there are approximately 750-800 military base sites, allowing many military families to be presented with travel opportunities that most families would never get. Whether it be Germany’s Ramstein Air Base or Camp Humphreys in South Korea, there is always a chance that the military will send families abroad to serve. 

Julius Reaser (11), whose parents have also served in the Army, states, “I think it’s been fun moving around everywhere. I get to experience all the new places and such.” Moving so frequently can become exhausting, so it’s important to keep the new opportunities that it brings in mind. 

April 15th is a day that visibly supports military children, showing appreciation for their sacrifices and perseverance. “Although they’re not in the military themselves, they still help represent our country,” says Sapiens. It’s important to recognize the struggles military children face, but ultimately remember they are no different than any other child. Be sure to understand and recognize your fellow students who are military children!

Resources for military children:

https://www.militaryonesource.mil/parenting/children-youth-teens/resources/

https://www.ourmilitarykids.org/family-resources/

https://missionrollcall.org/veteran-voices/articles/military-child-resources/

https://www.bloommilitaryteens.org/