The Month of the Military Child

This month the military will recognize the importance of a very special segment of the military population - military children. One might ask "why is it so important to observe month of the military child?" Children are the future of our nation, and in many cases our military children are the future of our Armed forces.

Military service is predominantly a family business for many families. Many Soldiers have a variety of family ties to the Army. Therefore it is important for the military to place great interest in our military children.

For those of you who did not know just how prominent children are in the military community, here are some interesting facts that show the impact that children and families have on the military:

· In the U.S. military, 90,000 babies are born each year. · Nearly one-half of the military force is 25-years-old or younger, and most families have their first child before this age.

· There are 1 million military children under the age of 11.

· More than half of the active-duty workforce is married, approximately 53 percent.

· Six percent of military service members are single parents.

· One out of every four junior-enlisted service members (grades E-1 to E-4) is married; one of every five has a child.

· Military families move an average of every three years.

· Almost two-thirds of military spouses are employed or seeking employment, including 87 percent of junior-enlisted spouses.

· The Department of Defense has the largest employer-sponsored childcare program in the country, serving more than 200,000 children (ages 12 and under) daily.

· According to a year-long study conducted by the Peabody Center for Education Policy at Vanderbilt University, students enrolled in Department of Defense schools outscore their public school peers on standardized tests.

(courtesy of mom~thanks!)