2026 Military Child of the Year for the National Guard Leads to Help Others
Military service runs four generations deep in Lila Morgan’s family, and that history inspires her to lead a life defined by service, leadership, and purpose. At 18, Lila’s resilience and strength have earned her opportunities and awards from local to international levels, including her recognition as Operation Homefront’s 2026 Military Child of the Year® for the National Guard.
Lila is the daughter of Courtney and Larry Morgan of Lithia, Florida. Larry served eight years in the Marine Corps before entering the Army National Guard. He is a first lieutenant with a combined total of 15 years of service. He has been deployed a total of 36 months.
A senior at the University of South Florida, Lila completed high school at 16 and will graduate college in August with a double major in political science and criminology. In fall, she will enter a dual-degree program at American University and work toward a master’s in public policy and a law degree. Her goal is to wrap up the three-year graduate program by age 21.
Lila is also a dedicated leader and volunteer. She aspires to become a judge advocate general in the Army.
“My goals are rooted in service,” she said. “Through law, policy, and nonprofit leadership, I hope to dedicate my career to protecting others, advocating for fairness, and contributing to the well-being of the communities I serve.”
Growing up in a military family, Lila learned to appreciate community and face challenges with determination. Those challenges can be different for National Guard children because they often live in civilian communities that don’t fully understand military family life. National Guard service members also can be called away suddenly for deployment or activation.
“Because of that, my father has missed many of my major milestones,” she said. “Beyond the big moments, he has also missed the small ones that shape everyday life — the excitement of doing well on a test, the disappointment of a tough game, family game nights, and being home for Shabbat. Those everyday moments are the ones you wish you could share most.”
National Guard members often support their state when disaster strikes, leaving family members at home to navigate the same disaster without their service member. Those family sacrifices are part of something larger — service to our country and community, Lila said.
“The lessons I learned as a military child continue to guide how I approach leadership, service, and the goals I pursue in my own life.”
Lila is grateful for her experiences as a military child.
“The pride I feel in my father’s service — and in the generations of my family who served before him — continues to motivate me to live a life defined by service, leadership, and purpose,” she said.
Looking back on the pride she felt when her father received his first salute as an Army National Guard officer from her grandfather, Lila wants to carry on the tradition at her commissioning as a JAG officer.
“I hope when that day comes, my father and grandfather will be there to give me my first salute, continuing the tradition that has meant so much to our family,” she said.
Lila’s dedication to service and leadership shows in more than 1,600 volunteer hours she logged in the 12 months leading up to her nomination. Her leadership work focuses largely on human rights.
When antisemitism spread on her college campus, she worked with university administrators and campus organizations to achieve meaningful change. The efforts helped establish kosher dining options, expand Jewish programming, and support a significant increase in Jewish student population.
She authored a leadership guide for young adults, which is set to be published this year. As a congressional intern for U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Lila has gained understanding of governance, advocacy, and federal policymaking.
Lila also finds time for reading — she completes two to four books a week — and for creative, athletic, and social activities. She also enjoys writing poetry as well as visiting art museums to observe how different works connect with people.
Lila will join other Military Child of the Year recipients in Washington, D.C., in April. The seven winners will be honored at a gala, during which senior leaders of each branch of service will present the awards. Honorees will each receive $10,000, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts.
Operation Homefront’s Military Child of the Year program, now in its 18th year, recognizes outstanding teens in each branch of the armed forces for criteria that include their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, and extracurricular involvement while facing the challenges of military family life. This year marks the first time all the recipients are women.
Collectively, the seven 2026 recipients logged 4,849 volunteer hours in the 12 months before nominations. Altogether, they have experienced 35 permanent changes of station and lived through 255 months of a parent being deployed.
Service/Leadership Highlights
- I Choose to Be Drug Free, Inc., co-founder and president
- Chabad on Campus Jewish Student Association, director of campus relations and student involvement
- U.S. House of Representatives, Florida 14th District, congressional intern
- Civil Air Patrol, cadet lieutenant colonel, Florida Wing Cadet of the Year, 2025
- Florida Army National Guard, Youth Advisory Council
