Celebrating Military Kids by Going Purple
Every April, we come together to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary, yet often unsung, heroes—military kids. From frequent moves and changing schools to enduring long periods of separation from a parent, military children face unique challenges every day—and they do so with courage and heart.
That’s why at NMFA, we believe Military Kids Serve Too®, and the Month of the Military Child is the perfect time to shine a purple spotlight on their strength, resilience, and sacrifice. This month, we want to see everyone in our communities sporting PURPLE and joining us in our Purple Up: Military Kids Serve Too® Sweepstakes.
Why Purple?
Purple represents all service branches, Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and Veterans. It blends each branch’s colors: the Air Force, Navy, Space Force, and Coast Guard’s blues, the Army’s green, and the Marines’ red.
Wearing purple symbolizes unity for military children across all the services, and it is a reminder that they are supported and seen.
Why We Say Military Kids Serve Too®
More than 1.6 million military children support our nation simply by being part of a military family. On average, military children will attend as many as nine schools between kindergarten and high school graduation. The number of hellos and goodbyes, new zip codes, and phone numbers can bear so much weight.
NMFA Bloomer and Army teen, Gabrielle M., shares additional insight:
“My whole life, every time I have gone to a new school, I went in with the mindset that I would only get to see these people for 2-3 years, and then everything would be reset at a new location.”
For military kids, constant change becomes a part of their growth and identity.
“It took some time, but I believe that being a military kid has made me resilient and taught me perseverance,” shared Gabrielle. “Growing up in this unique lifestyle, I have definitely been in situations out of my comfort zone, and while it can be frustrating in the moment, in the end, I am always grateful. These experiences are what have shaped me to be who I am today.
Gabrielle reminds us that military kids find strength, courage, and a deeper sense of self in their military journey—serving in their own way, right alongside their parent in uniform.
Our Commitment to Military Kids
For more than two decades, NMFA has supported military children through programs like Operation Purple® Camp—a free, weeklong summer camp experience designed just for military kids. This summer, we’ll be celebrating our 22nd year of programming, continuing to expand our reach with in-person and virtual opportunities that help military kids build friendships, create memories, and connect with peers who understand their journey.
Our work doesn’t stop there. Through tools like our Military Teen Experience Survey, we collect vital data on the unique challenges military teens face—from mental health to peer relationships—to ensure we’re developing programming that truly meets their needs.
Show Your Support—Purple Up Today!
Grab your purple gear, gather your military family, and snap that photo. Let’s show military kids that their service matters. Their strength is inspiring, and we’re proud to Purple Up for them.
Because Military Kids Serve Too®. And together, we’re stronger®.
By: Angela Sablan Tenorio, Content Manager
