Haslam Recognizes Month of the Military Child

Resolution honors children of members of United States Armed Forces  
                                                                                                                                
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam applauded the Tennessee General Assembly for making April the Month of the Military Child.  The Legislature adopted Senate Joint Resolution 848 before adjourning earlier this month.
 
“We are grateful to the many Tennesseans who serve our country often far away from home, and it is important to remember the sacrifices their families make,” Haslam said. “Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for us, and their children are impacted in a number of ways.  We honor our soldiers, their families and their children.”
 
The resolution was introduced by Sen. Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville), a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps.
 
“This resolution urges all Tennesseans to recognize the daily sacrifices made by military children while their parents serve our country in the U.S. Armed Services,” Gresham said.
 
“One of the best ways we can honor those who defend our freedoms is to support their families, especially during times of a parent’s deployment or in the tragic event of a soldier who pays the ultimate price for freedom and who is killed in the line of duty.”
 
It is estimated that more than 20,000 Tennessee children and youth have been affected by the military deployment of at least one parent.
 
In 1986, U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger designated each April as Month of the Military Child recognizing the contribution the child makes as a parent or parents serve our nation. Frequent moves and family separations as the result of deployments can make life difficult for those children. Children often prove resilient under those conditions.