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MCWE 2026 - Definition of the Military Child
Military Children (The Present Experience) "Military Children” refers to all youth currently living the experience of being raised in military-connected families, which includes:
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Children of Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve service members
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Children of Veterans (post-service parents, even if born after military service are still shaped by that legacy)
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Adoptive, stepchildren and under guardianship in military families
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Children of divorced military families across households and even multi-generational military families (grandchildren of service members)
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Children of Gold Star Families (KIA/POW/MIA legacy children)
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Children connected to service through caregiving roles (caring for siblings, parents, or grandparents affected by service)
- These children are living it now, whether through daily deployments, frequent moves, or simply carrying the heritage of service into their youth
MCWE 2026 - Definition of the Military Child
The Military Child (The Lifelong Identity)
“The Military Child” represents the enduring identity carried into adulthood. Even when one is no longer a dependent, the experience of being raised in a service-connected household becomes a lifelong part of who they are.
This includes:
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Adults who grew up as military children — whether their parents served in WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm, OIF/OEF, or today
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Veterans’ children who may have been born after service, but still live with the values, traditions, and challenges of the military legacy
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Those who carry forward the memory of sacrifice, such as KIA/POW/MIA children
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Generations of families where grandparents, parents, and now grandchildren share the military child experience
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They are not just “former military kids.” They are and always will be "The Military Child.'
- These children are living it now, whether through daily deployments, frequent moves, or simply carrying the heritage of service into their youth.
They are not just “former military kids.” They are and always will be "The Military Child."
Why We Celebrate Both
At MCWE 2026, aligned with America 250, we honor:
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The Military Children of today living the resilience of service-connected life right now.
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The Military Child as a legacy grown, but forever shaped by service.
This inclusive recognition ensures that no child or adult is left out of the heritage of military service, whether connected by active duty, reserve, veteran status, adoption, guardianship, divorce, Gold Star legacies, or multi-generational family service.
“There have always been military children. From America’s founding militias to today’s service branches, children have carried the torch alongside their families. And when those children grow up, they remain forever The Military Child torchbearers of resilience, service, and sacrifice across generations.”