FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Military service is a family commitment. While those in uniform defend our freedoms at home and abroad, their families serve and sacrifice. Families support their Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen in every assignment and in every transition. During the month April, the Department of Defense honors the sacrifices of the youngest members of our team by observing the Month of the Military Child.

The theme for 2022 is, “Military Children and Youth: Standing Strong and Proud.” Military children share in the stress and strain that our service members experience. They feel the absence of their parents during long work days, field time and deployments. Children leave behind friends, coaches, teachers, hobbies and homes as their family relocates. Challenges repeatedly present themselves along the way, but our military children continue to rise to them, face them with courage and use them as opportunities to develop into strong, adaptive and resilient young adults.

The COVID-19 environment has tested our children in new ways, yet they continue to persist and thrive. Fort Leonard Wood’s leaders and our Family & Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Child and Youth Services are committed to supporting and celebrating our military children. Watch social media for more information about events that are planned throughout the month of April to celebrate our military children starting with the “Young Lives, Big Stories” art gallery, which will open at 4 p.m. today in Dillard Hall. Children’s art work will be displayed the entire month. On April 29, there will be a drive through event that will entertain and educate from the comfort of your car! For more information on these and other events, visit the FMWR Facebook page.

We are incredibly proud of our entire team, and especially of our military children. Thank you for all that you do to support this installation and the DOD.

Victory Starts Here – Victory Through Skill!