Military Child Appreciation Day

People serving in the military are not the only people who make sacrifices, but the children in military families as well. During the Month of the Military Child, on April 15th we recognize some of the military’s most unsung heroes, their children. Military children must make sacrifices by moving and readjusting to a new life all the time. So, every year on April 15th we celebrate military children around the world by wearing purple.  

Purple day or military child appreciation day encourages everyone to wear purple representing all branches of the military and showing unity with one another. Because purple is a color used to represent all military services, the theme “Purple Up” is used over the course of the month. 

“I think it is good to celebrate our children for the sacrifices and tough times they have had to endure,” Anthony Bledsoe said. 

Being a military brat is a badge of pride worn by generations of kids who traveled the world with their parents. Military children deal with separations, deployments, frequent moves and even their parents’ injuries as part of the life they were born into or entered with their families. 

“It depends on the place but most of the time it’s been fairly hard since I’ve been moving my entire life but I’m able to adapt,” senior Amariah Wright said. 

Military children must move around a lot. On average, military children move and change schools eight times from the start of kindergarten to high school graduation. Many others move twice the amount of time. When they move, they must leave their friends, school, and parts of their life. And many must move during the summer, which cuts from their break, and they just jump right back into school, which can be exhausting. With each move, military children must cope with the stress of making new friends, adapting to a new school environment at awkward times, and figuring out how to fit in once again. 

“My least favorite thing about moving is losing a lot of my summer and then having so little time to readjust in a new area before school starts,” sophomore Justice Harris said. 

Military also get to explore and live in a lot of different places. You can move to places in the U.S like Colorado, Alaska and Hawaii. Or somewhere outside the U.S like Germany and South Korea. You can experience other cultures and lifestyles if you get stationed overseas. 

“You can get more experience of other cultures when you’re stationed overseas,” freshman Hunter Smith said. 

When military children move, they are able to meet new people and create relationships with the people around them. Being able to make these friendships can help them with the big changes. 

“El Paso isn’t my favorite place, but the people make it worthwhile. They’re the best part of the experience,” Amariah Wright said.