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Torch of Care Medallion & Youth Service Recognition
Care is Leadership. Care is Legacy.
In military-connected families and communities, care is not a background responsibility, it is a form of leadership, memory, and courage.
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The Torch of Care Medallion honors children, teens, and young adults who carry meaningful care roles in their families, schools, installations, and communities. These roles are often quiet, unseen, and unrecognized, yet they shape identity, belonging, and resilience across generations.
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This recognition affirms that care is a form of leadership and that those who carry it are torchbearers of legacy.
The Meaning of the Medallion
How Recognition Takes Place
Public Recognition MomentPu
Recipients are honored during MCWE’s three signature events:
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Ambassadors & Caregivers Breakfast (April 18)
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Promise of the Six Youth Summit (April 25)
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America’s Torchbearers Showcase (April 26)
Their name is spoken.
Their role is acknowledged.
The room recognizes their leadership.
This moment is public, because:
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Care is often invisible
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And visibility is part of healing
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Private Pinning & Reflection Moment
After public recognition, each recipient is invited into a quiet circle of belonging.
Here:
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The medallion is placed with intention
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An affirmation is spoken
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The caregiver, elder, or mentor offers grounding support
This moment is private, because:
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Honor is intimate
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Dignity is quiet
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Legacy is personal
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Recognition Words (Spoken During Pinning)
You have carried others with steadiness and heart.
Your care has shaped your family, your community, and your story.
We honor the weight you have held and the love you have offered.
You rise with us, and we rise with you.
Who May Be Nominated
[ Nominate a Youth ] [ Learn About TCCSH ] [ The Promise We Carry Act ]
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Military-connected youth (active duty, guard, reserve, veteran families)
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Gold Star youth
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Youth caregivers in any household
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Grown military children reflecting back on their experience
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Civilian youth serving as community anchors or cultural stabilizers
This recognition honors care wherever it lives.
Nomination Pathway
Nominations may be submitted by:
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Family members
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Educators
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Youth program leaders
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Counselors
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Coaches
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Peer nominators
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Self-nomination (with reflection)
Nominations open: January 2026
Details will be listed on the TCCSH How-It-Works page under the April 18 event.
Connection to The Promise We Carry Act
The Torch of Care Medallion is the symbol associated with The Promise We Carry Act, a national effort to formally recognize military-connected youth and youth caregivers at the federal level.
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This medallion is part of a movement of remembrance, identity, continuity, and dignity.