Photo By Staff Sgt. Angela Jackson | A U.S. Airman with the 445th Airlift Wing and his family enjoy the wing family day...... read more read more
The sound of boots at the door, a packed suitcase in the hallway and another goodbye before sunrise are familiar moments for many military children.
They learn early how to adapt to change, make new friends in unfamiliar places and stay strong during long separations from a parent in uniform. While their sacrifices often happen quietly at home, their resilience is on display in every move, deployment and missed milestone.
During April’s Month of the Military Child, the 445th Airlift Wing recognized the sacrifices military children make every day.
“The Month of the Military Child is a month set aside to honor military children and all their sacrifices,” said Shanna King, 445th AW Military and Family Readiness Office director. “Military children sacrifice a lot of time with their parents and go through a lot of things the average non-military child doesn’t go through.”
This month of recognition was established to focus on the unique challenges military children face. Focusing on these children highlights the resilience required of children whose parents serve in uniform.
While November recognizes the military family as a whole, King said April’s focus on children is important because they are often expected to understand adult situations.
As the parent of a military child herself, King, wife of former U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Scriven King, has seen firsthand the challenges that military children face.
By the time her son was 3 years old, he had already lived in two different countries and three different states. Frequent moves are among the biggest challenges military kids endure. These children must constantly move and adapt to new environments.
“Military kids are some of the most resilient kids that you will ever find,” King said. “I know some military kids who went to six different high schools before they graduated. They get used to packing up and going; they make friends quickly. Put a military child anywhere and even the most introverted kid is good at making friends.”
Beyond relocation, the uncertainty can weigh heavily on them, especially during deployments which place a strain on the entire household and create challenges children must navigate.
“We sign up; we wear the uniform, but they make the sacrifices,” said Master Sgt. Jason Cordle, 445th AW first sergeant resiliency integrator. “When we go out in public in uniform, we get the thank you and the handshakes. Nobody ever thinks to when we go away it puts a strain on the whole family. They make some of the same sacrifices we make and, in some cases, even more so. They didn’t sign up for this, but they’re still forced to make sacrifices and go through the adversities of service.”
It is important to highlight the sacrifices military children make. To help recognize those sacrifices, the 445th sent personalized certificates to military children of the wing.
This year the certificates were redesigned to make them different from previous years by adding gold labels and a seal featuring the official flower of the military child, a dandelion, to give the certificates a fancier, more grown-up look.
“A lot of people think the dandelion is a weed, but it’s a really important flower,” King said. “The reason the dandelion is the flower of the military child is because no matter where the dandelion goes, it’s going to grow and thrive. The seeds scatter everywhere, but they’re always going to grow wherever they land.”
When the 445th began to send these certificates four years ago, around 100 certificates were sent. Last year, around 350 certificates were mailed. The feedback from parents has been positive. Emails have been sent detailing how excited the kids are to receive them, often wanting to hang them up on the wall or the refrigerator.
The M&FR office is constantly looking for more ways to support military children, whether or not the kids are ever able to physically come to Wright-Patterson AFB. The 445th wants to acknowledge all military children and the sacrifices they make.
“We see you,” Cordle said. “We thank you, and we appreciate your service. It does not go unnoticed.”
| Date Taken: | 05.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.11.2026 14:31 |
| Story ID: | 564910 |
| Location: | WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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