Senator John Thune

The U.S. military is currently engaged in conflicts across the world, requiring servicemen and women to be away from their homes and loved ones. It is important that we not only take time to care for our troops, but their families who are back at home.

The children of our servicemen and women have their own unique commitment and service to our state and country that often gets overlooked. Military children often endure the anxiety and uncertainty caused by having a parent away from the household while serving their country.

In an effort to celebrate and honor these children, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger designated April as the Month of the Military Child in 1986, and our country has celebrated this designation ever since. For the entire month of April, military installations, non-profit groups, and volunteers throughout South Dakota organize efforts to support military children and take action to make their lives better.

There are many ways to get involved this month and show our support for members of the military and their children. We can volunteer our time and resources, or we can simply let a military child in our community know how much he or she means to us and to our country.

These unsung heroes sacrifice valuable time with their mothers or fathers, and often take on household responsibilities that require them to mature far beyond their years. This April, I hope you will join me in thanking and honoring these children for their unique service to our country.