April is Month of the Military Child

Published April 21, 2015
By Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Sawyer
914 AW/PA

NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- The Department of Defense observes April as the Month of the Military Child.

Children with one or both parents in the military face a unique set of challenges throughout their everyday lives. Permanent change of station, deployments and temporary duty assignments are just a few.

Month of the military child recognizes the sacrifices that the military child must make and the strength of character it requires. The color purple was chosen to represent all branches of the United States Military.

At Wilson High School in Wilson, N.Y., Dominic Curcione, a senior and a military child, participated in Purple Up! to help others understand what it's like to have a parent or parents in the military.

"I feel everyone wearing purple on the same day shows that we care about each other and that we're a support group," said Curcione of the Purple Up! campaign.

Purple Up! was created four years ago by Operation Military Kids, an organization dedicated to military children. Wilson High School is one of many schools and organizations to participate.

In recognition of the Month of the Military Child, the Peace Bridge, an international bridge between Canada and the United States, displayed purple lights on April 15th.

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