OUR MILITARY KIDS WANTS TO CELEBRATE YOUR MILITARY KID

“...Being a military kid means both sacrificing more than other kids but also having experiences and opportunities that they might not have." -Jackson, 2025 Our Military Kids Courageous Kids Contest Winner

Jackson’s words are a beautiful portal into the experience of being a military child. If you’ve spent any length of time in the military community, you’ve met kids like Jackson. They’re earnest, creative, thoughtful, and, well, we’ll say it—courageous.

And Our Military Kids wants to celebrate the military kids in your life by sharing their stories, words, and accomplishments with the rest of the military community and our nation. To do that, they need your help.

Who Is Our Military Kids?

Our Military Kids is a national nonprofit offering support and community to children of National Guard, Reserve, and wounded, ill, or injured post-9/11 veteran parents. The organization offers activity awards year-round and hosts the annual Courageous Kids Contest.

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What’s the Courageous Kids Contest?

The Courageous Kids Contest encourages the nation to nominate, elevate, and celebrate the kids of National Guard, Reserve, and wounded veterans. Winners are announced in April, coinciding with the Month of the Military Child. In addition to national recognition, winners also receive a cash prize, a certificate, and prizes from GOVX.

Nominations are open until March 8. Eligible children (ages 1-18) are those who have demonstrated leadership in their communities, activities, and/or within their families in the past year, while also having a parent who:

• Deployed with the National Guard or Reserve in 2025, OR
• Received care for a post-9/11, combat-related injury, illness, or wound in 2025

How Can My Kids Apply for Activity Awards?

Our Military Kids knows that Reserve, National Guard, and wounded veteran families can face challenges that are different from their active-duty counterparts. Some families feel isolated, especially when they’re geographically distant from a military installation. Others find themselves dealing with financial strain and stress when a National Guard or Reserve deployment happens. Activity grants are meant to smooth some of those difficulties while giving military kids opportunities, memories, and community.

Applications are available year-round. Each child in an eligible family can receive up to $300 to support participation in an after-school activity of their choice.

Since Our Military Kids’ founding two decades ago, the organization has distributed more than 100,000 activity awards, offering a generation of military kids opportunities, excitement, and the chance to dive into a passion or explore something new.

Take Action

Don’t miss your chance to nominate an eligible military kid for the 2026 contest. The form is short, and submission is easy. (Take as much time as you want to brag about the kid you’re nominating!)

If you don’t have an eligible military kid to nominate, please share this article with someone you know who does. With your help, Our Military Kids will be able to celebrate the extraordinary stories of military children for the sixth year in a row!

Suggested reads:

• When the Call Comes: Preparing for a Noncombatant Evacuation Operation
• What Surviving Military Children Wish Adults Understood About Grief
• TRICARE Newborn Enrollment: What You Must Do Within 90 Days to Avoid Coverage Gaps