Operation Homefront is Accepting Nominations for Military Child of the Year® Award

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Operation Homefront, the national nonprofit dedicated to providing emergency financial and other assistance to military families, has announced that nominations for the Military Child of the Year Awards are being accepted online at MilitaryChildOfTheYear.org through December 14, 2013.  Winners will be recognized in April 2014.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110623/DC25541LOGO)

The Military Child of the Year Award recognizes children who stand out among their peers.  Ideal candidates for the award demonstrate resilience, strength of character, and thrive in the face of the challenges of military life.  These young heroes embody leadership within their families and communities.  All nominees will receive a beautiful certificate acknowledging their nomination in April 2014, Month of the Military Child. 

This award is presented to an outstanding child from each branch of service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.  The winners each receive $5,000 and a laptop, and are flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., for a special recognition ceremony on April 10 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott.  In previous years, recipients have had the honor of meeting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey and First Lady Michelle Obama, who were guest speakers for the event awards ceremonies.

"Each military family understands very well what it means to serve their country, and that service is truly a group effort," said Jim Knotts, President and CEO of Operation Homefront. "Military children in particular face a unique set of challenges, requiring courage, adaptability and perseverance to overcome the frequent deployments of a parent and multiple relocations—across the country or around the world—every few years. The Military Child of the Year Award is our way to celebrate the service of these inspiring young patriots."  

Anyone can nominate a child.  Family members, teachers, coaches, counselors, clergy, neighbors and friends are encouraged to nominate outstanding children.  For more information on how to nominate a child in your community, to become a sponsor, or to see photos from past events, please log on to MilitaryChildOfTheYear.org. 

About Operation Homefront:  A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has met more than 750,000 needs of military families since its inception in 2002.  A four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 95 percent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

SOURCE Operation Homefront