Robins, area schools celebrate Month of the Military Child

  • Published
  • By Holly Logan-Arrington
  • Robins Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Throughout April, Robins and local schools are hosting a variety of events to honor military members' children including a joint proclamation signing by the Houston County Board of Education and Robins. 

The event will be Tuesday during the 1 p.m. board meeting. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Scott and 78th Air Base Wing Vice Commander, Col. Dawn Lancaster, will speak and sign the proclamation. 

Shantel Chapman, Airman and Family Services Flight chief here, said celebrating the month of the military child encourages everyone to remember the direct relationship between children and the mission.

"Our children motivate us to greatness and our children make us stronger," she said.  "We're quick to state the sacrifice that we make for them, and we often forget the sacrifice they make for us."

Chapman said often these children don't get a say in how their parents' service impacts them.

"Our children do not have a say when we have to work beyond our scheduled shifts," she said. "Our children do not have a say when we have to deploy on a moment's notice ... For every time our children didn't have a say," she added, "the month of the military child is an opportunity to say 'Thank You,' to our children, for their selfless service, too."

Renee Daughtry, Robins School Liaison officer, said it's only fitting that everyone reflect and recognize the contributions and personal sacrifices military children make to the Armed Forces. 

"Frequent moves and extended family separations due to deployments make military life especially challenging for the children of military parents," she said. "As we celebrate the Month of the Military Child, we offer our personal thanks to all of the children of our Armed Forces members."

Houston County School System has over 28,000 students and over 2,200 are military children. Over 6,700 are military connected with parents working at Robins.  

Daughtry said on average, a military child goes to six to nine different schools during their   kindergarten-to-12th-grade school years.   

"It's our honor to thank these strong, resilient children for their support and sacrifices," she   said.

People are invited to wear purple April 15 to show support for military members' children.