Military Child of the Year® Award
Now in its 19th year, Operation Homefront's Military Child of the Year® Award reflects the positive impact that these impressive young people have made on their military families, their schools, and their communities.
Announcement
Thank you for another amazing year celebrating 7 incredible military children! Do you have a military child in your life who you want to honor?
Sign up here to be notified when nominations open for our 2027 Military Child of the Year Award!
About the Awards
The annual awards recognize outstanding young people ages 13 to 18. Recipients will represent a branch of the armed forces — the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Space Force — for their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and other criteria while facing the challenges of military family life.
All Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award recipients will be flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., and recognized at the April 2027 gala, during which senior leaders of each branch of service will present the awards. They also will receive $10,000 each, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts. The gala is usually held in April, the month of the military child, as a way to recognize the support and appreciation we provide to military families.
WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS?
- Child must be a legal military dependent. Status confirmed by DEERS enrollment form.
- Military children must be between the ages of 13 and 18, at the time of nomination.
- Child and one adult guardian must be available to travel to the Washington, D.C. area April 2027, during the month of the military child, for the Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Awards Gala award presentation.
- Officers, directors, employees, and agents of Operation Homefront and its subsidiaries or affiliated organizations, and their immediate family members (parent, child, sibling, and spouse of each) and those living in the same households of each are not eligible to receive programs, services, grants, or donated goods intended for use by Operation Homefront’s clients.
- Previous Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award Recipients, including Innovation Award recipients, are no longer eligible.
In addition to the above eligibility requirements, if selected as a Semifinalist, must:
- Provide 2 letters of recommendation
- Provide form DD1172
- Be willing to participate in media and donor opportunities
2026 recipients in D.C.
