The Joint Services Teen Council gathered in the Washington, D.C., area June 11 for its annual summit. An initiative from the Office of the Secretary of War’s Military Community and Family Policy, the JSTC brought together high-achieving youth from across the services to identify and address issues impacting military-connected youth worldwide. The council provides a platform for these teens to address concerns and find solutions that benefit the entire military community.
The weeklong event culminated in council members providing a brief to the Department of War and leadership from all branches of service on issues important to military teens, such as teen program protection, career and life skills development, financial literacy, and mental health. The teens briefed the senior leaders at the Pentagon on selected issues, the affected audiences, the scope of the issues and their recommended solutions.
Teens reported that many teen programs are overlooked, as installations often face funding issues and give these programs lower priority. They recommended that teen programs be reclassified to guarantee full government funding and have more access to grants. They also recommended more career and life skills development opportunities, such as classes on resume writing and job applications. Furthermore, they proposed that financial literacy classes be developed to help teens understand basic financial topics like taxes, savings and investments.
“The JSTC summit is an investment in the well-being of our military-connected teens and the future of the DOW,” said Tamra De Benedetto, a Management Program Analyst in the Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness’s Child, Youth and Schools Division. “By empowering teens to become active participants in shaping their communities, the JSTC strengthens the overall resilience and readiness of the force.”
The members of the JSTC represent each component of military service and the Coast Guard. Council members are selected to represent the diverse population of military teens, considering factors such as grade level, extracurricular interests, Family composition (e.g., single-parent, dual-military), length of time at their current installation and type of installation (e.g., overseas, CONUS large, CONUS small). This ensures a variety of perspectives and experiences are incorporated into council discussions.
The teens also addressed the need to extend benefits across the force, stating that Reserve Families have limited access to college funding and general programming compared to active-duty Families. They also highlighted the distinct mental health challenges teens face, especially those in smaller and rural locations that lack adequate resources. The teens recommended better advertising of crisis and help lines, more counselors at installations, and the creation of low-stress, mental health-based activities and spaces.
“The Joint Services Teen Council serves as a vital link between teens and DOW leadership, ensuring youth concerns are heard, accomplishments are recognized and ideas contribute to positive change,” said De Benedetto.
During their visit to the Pentagon, the teens also participated in workshops and training to develop leadership, problem-solving and communication skills.
“This event is a direct result of the innovative work of our CYSS team and highlights the exceptional potential within our Army youth programs,” said Donna Garfield, Chief of the Army’s CYSS Division.
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