Operation Homefront is Accepting Nominations for Military Child of the Year® Award

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Operation Homefront, the national nonprofit dedicated to providing emergency financial and other assistance to military families, has announced that nominations for the 2015 Military Child of the Year® Awards are being accepted online at MilitaryChildOfTheYear.org through December 12, 2014. Awardees will be recognized in April 2015.

Outstanding children of National Guardsmen will compete in their own award category for the very first time.

The Military Child of the Year Award® recognizes children who stand out among their peers. Ideal candidates for the award demonstrate resilience, strength of character, and thrive in the face of the challenges of military life. These young heroes embody leadership within their families and communities. Each nominee will receive a letter acknowledging his or her nomination. 

"In the six years that Operation Homefront has presented the Military Child of the Year® Award, we have seen so many examples of courage, adaptability and perseverance. I'm looking forward to meeting the extraordinary young people who will receive our 2015 award," said Tim Farrell, Chief Operating Officer for Operation Homefront. "In the face of relocations, separation from deployed parents, and all the other sacrifices of being part of a military family, these children thrive and so often set an example for their peers."

This award is presented to an outstanding child from each branch of service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the National Guard. The recipients each receive a $10,000 award and a laptop, and are flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., for a special awards gala on April 16. In previous years, recipients have had the honor of meeting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey, First Lady Michelle Obama, and philanthropist and singer Bret Michaels, who were guest speakers for the event awards ceremonies.

Anyone can nominate a child. Family members, teachers, coaches, counselors, clergy, neighbors and friends are encouraged to nominate outstanding military children. For more information on how to nominate a child in your community or to see photos from past events, please log on to MilitaryChildOfTheYear.org.  

The Title Sponsor for the 2015 Military Child of the Year® Awards Gala is United Technologies Corporation. MidAtlanticBroadband is a Patriot-level sponsor. Additional sponsorships are available, and more information on sponsorships can be found at MilitaryChildOfTheYear.org.

About Operation Homefront: A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 2,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has provided assistance to thousands of military families since its inception in 2002. Recognized for superior performance by leading independent charity watchdog groups, nationally, 93 percent of total donations to Operation Homefront go directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110623/DC25541LOGO

SOURCE Operation Homefront