During the month of April, the Georgia National Guard celebrated the Month of the Military Child.
The Month of the Military Child was established in 1986 by the Department of Defense and is recognized today by DoD Military Community and Family Policy as well as the DoD Education Activity. In 1986, the DoD increased campaigns and initiatives for children of military service members and decided to spread awareness by celebrating the sacrifices of families each year during April.
According to the DoD, there are currently over 1.7 million “total force-dependent children” spread across the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Military children can face difficult situations that are out of their control, such as moving or having short-term homes, parents having frequent deployments or working cities away and not often seen.
Since 1986, the DoD has seen this campaign spread across all branches of the military with events that include “Purple Up! For Military Kids”, a day that spreads awareness of the strength and sacrifice of military children. Most activities are coordinated internally within each organization.
The theme for the Georgia National Guard Family Program for 2019 was “Military Kids Can!”. An event at the Georgia State Capitol April 23, 2019 with Governor Brian Kemp and first lady Marty Kemp; Maj. Gen. Thomas Carden, Georgia’s Adjutant General, Georgia Army and Air National Guardsmen recognized the importance of military children. The Governor proclaimed April 2019 as the Month of the Military Child in Georgia and military families received a tour of the Capitol building.
The Georgia National Guard also highlighted children of service members throughout the organization on social media. The Warner Robins-based 116th Air Control Wing recognized Airmen’s children and their involvement in other events and campaigns that occurred around the state of Georgia.
“I’m sad when my mom and dad leave, a lot of things remind me of them when they are gone,” said Julia Creamer, daughter of 1st Sgt. Meagan Goodman of the Forest Park-based 221st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion, and 1st Sgt. David Creamer, currently deployed with the Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. “When they come home, I am so happy that I run and jump in their arms," said Julia.
Service members with military children face difficult career decisions which often take them away from their children for extended periods. The daughters of Goodman and Creamer have said goodbye to their parents for multiple deployments, as well as active duty training and drill weekends away from home.
“We have a unique situation,” said Goodman. “For the two years prior to my husband’s current deployment, he worked (full-time) at the 48th IBCT headquarters in Macon.”
Creamer normally leaves their home in Acworth on Mondays and only comes home on Fridays, if it isn’t a drill weekend. On drill weekends, he stays in Macon until the following Friday. Essentially, Creamer is home on average, six days a month.
Their children, Callie, Julia, and Ruby Kate are very active in their school activities and extracurricular sports. The resilience of their daughters still surprises Goodman and Creamer every day. The family has a care plan that ensures the girls will always have a familiar face in the crowd.
“Our children are very resilient, and they know that sometimes we cannot be there for them,” said Goodman. “I am extremely grateful for the support that we get from our family to include extended family and my tribe of mom friends.”
For Creamer, it is a team effort. While he's deployed, Goodman is a full-time Guardsman, as well as a "single mom". He is grateful for the work she puts in and the patience she has when he is having a hard day. Goodman ensures that Creamer is involved in everything his daughters are doing. While the distance is difficult for Creamer, the ability to communicate has improved since his first deployment in 2005.
“During deployment, I try to stay involved in what everyone is doing,” said Creamer. “You try to do everything you can to show your children you are trying to be an active part of their life while you’re gone.”