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ARLINGTON, Va., – Compassion, faith and patriotism earned five
youths, each representing a service branch, acclaim from senior
leaders during the 5th Annual Military Child of the Year Awards Gala
at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Pentagon City here yesterday.
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
joined keynote speaker Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in lauding the young honorees as
part of the Defense Department's Month of the Military Child
observance.
“These are incredible young men and women who not
only do their parents proud, but do their schools proud, their
friends proud, their communities proud, and ultimately the nation
proud,” Dempsey said.
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Jim Knotts, president and chief
executive officer of Operation Homefront, pose with Military Child
of the Year honorees, from left to right, Alexander Ray Burch, Navy;
Abigail MaryRose Perdew, Marine Corps; Amanda Wimmersberg, Coast
Guard; Nicole Marie Daly, Army and Mark Michael Newberry, Air Force
at the 5th Annual Military Child of the Year Awards Gala hosted by
Operation Homefront at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington, Va.,
April 11, 2013. DOD Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sun L. Vega |
The chairman described the unique challenges military
families face due to the inherently nomadic lifestyle that
duty dictates.
“What sets military kids apart is that
they have to earn a reputation, and then we move them, and
they have to re-earn it, and we move them again and they
have to re-earn it again,” Dempsey said. “By the time
they're done ... they've had to re-establish who they are,
multiple times.”
But starting over, the chairman said, creates the very
strength from which children of military families flourish.
“It makes them stronger, it makes them more adaptable,
it makes them more resilient, and it makes us damned proud
of them,” Dempsey said.
The chairman also recognized
the service members who protect the freedoms that enable
Americans of all ages to serve their communities and choose
their paths in life.
“Our young men and women in
uniform are actually going to pull this off,” the chairman
said of his recent visit to Afghanistan, where the drawdown
is on track. “Because they have confidence, they're
instilling that confidence in their Afghan partners and they
are instilling, in turn, confidence in the Afghan people.”
The chairman expressed confidence in the next generation
-- nearly 2 million military children -- who learn early on
the concept of service and sacrifice.
“There's no
other country in the world where you can be whatever you
want to be,” Dempsey said.
Operation Homefront, a
nonprofit organization that provides emergency financial and
other assistance to the families of service members and
wounded warriors, hosted the event.
This year's
Military Child of the Year honorees include:
Army --
Nicole Marie Daly, 17, of Fort Lee, Va., who despite nine
moves and three high schools is ranked in the top of her
class with a 4.7 grade point average. Daly volunteers at
events in support of the College Scholarship Fund for the
Fort Lee Area Spouse's Club. Her parents are West Point
graduates.
Marine Corps – Abigail MaryRose Perdew,
18, Kingdom of Bahrain, has volunteered more than 200 hours
this year including math tutoring. She carries a 4.1 GPA.
Her mother, Jessica, is a former Marine and her father Jason
is a lieutenant colonel with Marine Corps Forces Central
Command.
Navy – Alexander Ray Burch, 18, Grand Forks,
N.D., has volunteered more than 400 hours this year and
produced a video for an anti-bullying campaign. His father,
David, is a retired Navy chief who works for the Federal
Aviation Administration.
Air Force – Mark Michael
Newberry, 18, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, carries
a 4.2 GPA and has moved for his 10th time. He teaches Sunday
school, visits shut-ins every other weekend and volunteers
at the local VA thrift store. His father, Brian, is the wing
commander at Fairchild Air Force Base and his mother is a
registered nurse.
Coast Guard – Amanda Wimmersberg,
18, McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., carries a 4.0 GPA and is a
member of the Peer Leadership program which helps freshmen
acclimate to their new schools and assists them against
bullying. Her mother, Christina, is a recently retired Coast
Guard lieutenant commander and her father, Richard, is a
commander with the U.S. Coast Guard's Force Readiness
Command Detached Duty Navy Warfare Development Command in
Norfolk, Va.
By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2013
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