Celebrate Month of the Military Child

  • Published
  • By Cindy Berg
  • Youth Programs Director
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  April is Month of the Military Child - a chance to celebrate the lives of military kids worldwide. Growing up in a military family offers some challenges. Military children endure and experience so much in their lives from frequent relocations, learning new cultures, making new friends, attending different schools to parent deployments. In fact, about half of military children today, more than 1 million, have had a parent deploy.
Despite the many moves throughout their school years, military children are resilient and self-confident. Military children are the heart of military families and, in their own way, serve and sacrifice in support of their military parent. This month we recognize their contributions and support of their parents.

To provide military kids with the skills and coping mechanisms to handle constant relocations, or a parent' long deployment, the Airman and Family Service Flight has a Child and Youth Behavioral Military and Family Life Consultant (CYB-MFLC) available at the Child Development Center and Youth Center. CYB-MFLC's are licensed master's- or doctorate-level individuals with experience working with children and youth. Consultants are available to: provide short-term, non-medical counseling, provide brief, solution-focused problem solving, suggest interventions to staff and parents to help children and youth adapt and succeed. They are assigned to the base on 45-day rotations throughout the year and are available to active duty, Guard and Reserve members, and their families. The CYB-MFLC is available to take appointments after hours and on weekends. For further information, please contact the Youth Center at 731-3505.

There are many services and programs available to families and youth on Malmstrom and parents are encouraged to check out the Youth Center, CDC, and Family Child Care programs. Don't forget that April is Month of the Military Child and few things provide a sense of security and caring as quickly as a hug. So, give your child a hug today.