Prior to December 2018, Operation Military Kids was formerly the U.S. Army’s collaborative effort with America’s communities to support children and youth impacted by deployment.
Regardless of whether Families are experiencing deployment for the first time, the second time or another in a series of multiple deployments, OMK’s goal is to connect military children and youth with local resources in order to achieve a sense of community support and enhance their well-being.
In 2011, over 103,000 youth participated in experiences conducted by State OMK Teams in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
945 Community members representing over 43 national, state and local organizations worked together utilizing core OMK program elements like those in the left menu to help school age children and youth through the deployment of a loved one.
Through OMK, Military Youth:
- Meet other youth who are also experiencing deployment
- Participate in a range of recreational, social & educational programs
- Gain leadership, organizational, and technical skills by participating in the Speak Out for Military Kids program or Mobile Technology Lab programs
Through a network of National, State and Local Partners, Operation: Military Kids provides access to youth programs and support services where military children live.
OMK Partners organize special events, provide transportation to military kids to sporting events or other extracurricular activities, and participate in the Hero Pack initiative.
- Army Child, Youth & School Services programs are offered through Army Garrisons, National Guard Family State Program offices or Reserve Regional commands
- 4-H National Headquarters provides information to connect military youth to 4-H programs in their hometowns
- Find the Boys & Girls Club nearest to you and participate in wide array of program opportunities such as Keystone Clubs
- Schools can help create academic, social and emotional support networks for students
- Military Child Education Coalition provides professional development opportunities on working with military populations for school personnel and community members making them aware of the stressors that can be associated with a military deployment
- The American Legion has a variety of youth program options such as the “High School Oratorical Scholarship Program” for youth of all ages The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) can assist military families with child care issues
In addition, Operation: Military Kids, as part of the 4-H/Army Youth Development Project, is a vital part of supporting the Army Family Covenant, the Army Community Covenant and the Army Soldier Family Action Plan. Find out about OMK in your state by selecting your state from the State Information link in the menu on the left. Families and youth across the country can access information about OMK programs, link to OMK partner programs and contact their State 4-H Military Liaison from this OMK website. If you’d like to read more about Operation: Military Kids, the links below highlight OMK programming for the past several years.
Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.
Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.
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