Today, American Red Cross is launching two new programs in the Reconnection Workshop series that focus on helping children of military families to better manage the challenges associated with growing up in the military community.
These two new workshops—Roger That! Communication Counts and Operation 10-4: Confident Coping—are designed to help military children and teens build coping and communication skills that are essential when a parent or other family member is deployed and/or has returned from a deployment.
The Roger That! Communication Counts workshop, designed for children 8 to 12 years old, focuses on the importance of developing quality interpersonal communication and listening skills. For teens 12 to 18 years old, Operation 10-4: Confident Coping involves bolstering strengths present in older military children to help them manage stressful situations.
The Red Cross has a history of commitment to children in the armed forces community. Last April, for Month of the Military Child, the Tennessee Region of the American Red Cross honored the strength and sacrifice of Tennessee’s military children by hosting The Military Kids Serve Too! (MKST!) program. Developed in collaboration with the Tennessee National Guard Child and Youth Program and Operation Military Kids, the program recognized the children of service members and veterans for the integral role they play in military family readiness.
In its second year, MKST! celebrated over 300 children at four events across the state, in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga. The festivities featured a coining ceremony for the children, where each child was given a firm salute and presented with a customized challenge coin commemorating their special designation as our nation’s youngest patriots.
Children who have a parent or guardian currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces (Active, Reserve, and Guard) and military veterans were invited to attend the event.
In Nashville, the MKST! celebration included a performance by country music superstar John Rich and a special song-writing session with Grammy nominated singer/songwriter, James Slater. The coining ceremony was led by Colonel Darrell D. Darnbush, Commander, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Tennessee Army National Guard.