For the country’s nearly 2 million children whose parents serve in the military, there is a new support system that will connect military kids around the nation and around the world. The Mil Kidz Club is the new support system that was created by the nonprofit Blue Star Families. Executive Director of Blue Star Families Mark Smith said, “It’s specifically designed to support and honor military kids and to give military children a chance to connect with each other.” Smith says the connections the children make with one another are especially important during tough times, like when a parent is deployed.
“Over 2 million kids in the last decade have sent a parent off to war, sometimes two parents,” Smith said. In addition, Smith says that kids are suffering from 10 years of war that they didn’t sign up for, but were obliged because of their parents. The program was built on efforts to focus on what is affecting military children and to ensure that they have a place to turn to. The Mil Kidz Club was launched just before April, which is the Month of the Military Child.