Final Call for Nominations for 2025 Military Child of the Year® Awards
Deadline to Nominate is December 2; Military Children Ages 13-18 Eligible to Receive $10,000
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – For the 17th year, national nonprofit Operation Homefront will honor the extraordinary achievements of America’s military children through its annual Military Child of the Year® Award program. Anyone interested in nominating a military child for Operation Homefront’s annual Military Child of the Year® Awards must complete the nomination process on or before Monday, December 2. From family members and friends, to teachers, coaches, counselors, and clergy, anyone can nominate a military child, and everyone is encouraged to recognize the outstanding military children in their lives.
Military children, who serve our country alongside their parents, exemplify incredible resilience and strength of character. Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year® Award program seeks to recognize those who thrive in the face of the challenges common in military life. Seven award recipients will each represent a branch of the armed forces — Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard. Reserve dependents also qualify for their respective branch.
Award recipients display dedication to excellence in schools and honor societies, civic associations and clubs, sports, and volunteerism. These young heroes embody leadership within their families and communities. The seven 2024 award recipients lived through 247 months of deployments, faced a change of duty stations a combined 37 times and held impressive resumes that included more than 3,600 collective volunteer hours in the 12 months before nominations.
All seven Military Child of the Year® Award recipients will be invited to attend Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year® Awards Gala on Thursday, April 10, 2025, where they will each receive $10,000, a laptop, and other surprises donated by Operation Homefront’s generous partners. Operation Homefront will provide airfare and lodging for each award recipient and two family members to attend the gala and spend a few days in the Washington, D.C. area.
“My experience with receiving Operation Homefront’s 2024 Military Child of the Year Award for the Marine Corps was truly unforgettable,” said Isabella Arrieta. “Not only has their generosity helped fund my college education, but it also connected me with so many incredible young people. I got to experience the beauty of Washington D.C. and the many historical sites in the area while forming a strong bond with the other Military Child of the Year Award recipients. I have always admired my father’s service and my mother’s dedication to our home life. I am unbelievably grateful that Operation Homefront has created an award celebrating children from families just like mine.”
Visit operationhomefront.org/military-child-of-the-year to learn more and nominate a child for their respective branch award.
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About Operation Homefront:
Operation Homefront is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so that they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity oversight groups, 83 percent of Operation Homefront expenditures go directly to programs that support tens of thousands of military families each year. Operation Homefront provides critical financial assistance, transitional and permanent housing, and family support services to prevent short-term needs from turning into chronic, long-term struggles. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support from thousands of volunteers, Operation Homefront proudly serves America’s military families. For more information, visit OperationHomefront.org.
Media Inquiries:
Erin Burgy, Senior Director, Integrated Public Relations
Email Erin or (469) 934-7131
