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Our Begining
The Military Child World Expo (MCWE) was created with one purpose:
to give military children, past, present, and future, a home.
For generations, military-connected youth have lived lives shaped by movement, transition, sacrifice, separation, and global service. They grow up adapting faster than their peers, carrying responsibilities beyond their years, and navigating identities shaped by bases, deployments, cultures, and communities around the world.
Yet despite their profound contributions, there was no global stage dedicated to celebrating their stories, their resilience, and their legacy.
Until now.
Why We Exist
Military children serve without raising their right hand.
They sacrifice without medals.
They show courage without ceremony.
And they carry the promise of our nation’s future quietly, faithfully, and often unseen.
MCWE was created to change that forever.
The Expo was designed to break down silos, unite support systems, and bring the entire military community, local, national, and global, into one unified space where the lives of military-connected children are finally placed at the center.
MCWE stands proudly as:
The world’s only global event solely dedicated to celebrating, uplifting, and empowering military children across generations.
Our Evolution
Every April during the Month of the Military Child, MCWE transforms Arlington,
Virginia into a vibrant cultural and community gathering where:
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Military-connected youth are seen, heard, and celebrated.
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Families, caregivers, educators, and policymakers unite with purpose.
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Health, education, mental wellness, identity, culture, and future-readiness resources converge.
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Legacy and service are passed from one generation to the next.
Our inaugural 2024 Expo opened with the leadership of General George W. Casey Jr., (36th Chief of Staff U.S. Army Ret.), whose voice and presence ignited the first torch in this movement and established MCWE as a national force for recognition and unity.
Our Legacy Partners
MCWE could not exist without the unwavering support of our foundational partners who believed in the mission from the very beginning:
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BlueCross BlueShield Association
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Fashion Centre at Pentagon City (A Simon Property Group Mall)
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Sons and Daughters In Touch (SDIT) (Ms. Colleen Shine)
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ALD & Associates, LLC
These organizations helped establish MCWE as an annual, nationally recognized gathering, now positioned as the Home of the Military Child.
A Living Moment
The Military Child World Expo is not just an event.
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It is a cultural home,
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a legacy in motion,
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a gathering of identity and belonging,
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and a platform for every generation of the Military Child—child, teen, young adult, veteran, Gold Star, and beyond.
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This is where stories are honored.
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This is where futures are shaped.
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This is where belonging begins.
MCWE exists because the military child and military children deserve more than quiet resilience.
They deserve the world’s spotlight.
2024 - Inaugural Year
Fashion Centre at Pentagon City — Arlington, Virginia
Theme: The Unstoppable Power”
First-ever Military Children World Expo held during Month of the Military Child (April)
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VIP Keynote by General George W. Casey Jr., former 36th U.S. Army Chief of Staff
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Caregivers Breakfast
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President's Own Marine Corps Band
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20 youth-focused workshops throughout April
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Launch of the Ambassadors’ Caregivers Breakfast
Military Children World Expo 2024 "School of the Year" Gunston Middle School | Arlington, VA
2025
Fashion Centre at Pentagon City — Arlington, Virginia
Expanding the Mission
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Ambassadors Caregiver Breakfast
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Debut of Fit 2 Run 3K wellness tradition
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Launch of Unbreakable Crowns Awards and Military Children Got Talent (MCGT)
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Policy briefings, youth competitions, wellness symposiums
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National and international speakers; expanded strategic partners
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The Military Children World Expo 2025 "School of the Year" Swanson Middle School | Arlingotn, VA
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2026
New venue: Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | Arlington, Virginia
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Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary.
New features:
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Torchbearers Youth Readiness Summit
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Promise of the Six Pavilion
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Expansion from tabling-only to full booths + tabling opportunities based on feedback
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Launch of the Torch of Care Community Service Hours (TCCSH) national pilot — Turn Care Into Credit
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Stronger international youth delegations and cultural showcases
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Focus on teen mental health, future readiness, education equity, food security, and caregiver wellness
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Framed as MCWE’s transformation from a gathering into a global stage for military children’s voices, dreams, and leadership.