Every April during Month of the Military Child, Operation Homefront recognizes the contributions of military-connected children all around the world. Based on nominations received by teachers, coaches, family members, and other admiring adults in their lives, the organization recognizes seven incredible young people as their service’s “Military Child of the Year.”
The award honors a military child, age 13 to 18, for “their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and other criteria while facing the challenges of military family life.” All six branches of the military service —Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and National Guard— are represented. An additional award, the Military Child of the Year Award for Innovation, is given to a military child who “has designed a bold and creative solution to address a local, regional, or global challenge,” compliments of management and consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton.
This year’s honorees are:
- Elisabeth McCallum Polleys (Army), Macomb, Michigan
- Elisabeth Lundgren (Navy), Chula Vista, California
- Benjamin Rawald (Air Force), Del Rio, Texas
- Jaxson Jordan (Marine Corps), Jacksonville, North Carolina
- Kylie McGuire (Coast Guard), Hamilton, New Jersey
- Campbell Miller (National Guard), Ontario, Ohio
- Brandon Mammano (Innovation Award, Air Force), Mililani, Hawaii
Congratulations to this year’s recipients! Following a week of events and sightseeing in Washington, DC, these military children were recognized at a dinner gala in Arlington, Virginia. They were also each given $10,000, a laptop, and a week-long family cruise vacation on Carnival Cruise Line.
More than 350 military children were nominated over the past months. These seven finalists were chosen for their commitment to service and volunteerism as well as the resilience that they have displayed against obstacles that come their way.
Other Operation Homefront programs include Holiday toy drives, Star-Spangled Baby Showers, Rent-Free Transitional Housing for Wounded Warriors, and other financial support and education for veterans, service members, and their families.
