Being a military kid is the only life Campbell Miller and Brandon Mammano have known, so being recognized as two of Operation Homefront’s seven 2019 Military Child of the Year award winners came as a shock.
“I consider this normal life,” Miller said. “They saw something more than that.”
“This means so much to me,” said Mammano. “I get to work with Booz Allen Hamilton to create solutions for children across the nation.”
Six recipients earned the award based on the armed forces branch in which a parent either serves or has served. They were selected for their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and other criteria while facing the challenges of military family life. Each service branch’s awardees was selected by a panel of independent volunteer judges.
“We are still a nation at war,” Miller said. “Parents still have to serve. A lot of people don’t think of military kids and families as having to serve.”
Miller, 17, of Ontario, Ohio, is the son of National Guard colonel and single parent Allison Miller. He said being a military child has taught him about being a leader.
“Military members lead when they’re not in uniform,” he said. “They lead whether someone is watching or not.”
Col. Miller was out of town when she was notified that Campbell had received the award.
“She called and had my sister videotape my reaction,” said Miller. “I was speechless.”
Miller’s advice to other military kids is simple:
“Take the opportunity that being a military kid gives you,” he said. “Being present where you are is important. If I hadn’t been present where I was, I would have lost out on some of the best friendships I have.”
Mammano received the Military Child of the Year Award for Innovation. Presented by technology and consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Mammano will work with the company to develop a solution that addresses a local, regional or global challenge. Mammano will begin working with the company in a few weeks and said he absolutely loves being a “military brat.”
“It has shaped me into being a servant leader to others,” he said.
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Mammano, 18, Mililani, Hawaii, urged military kids who may be struggling as a result of a move or the deployment of a parent to ask for help.
“Don’t be afraid to reach out to other people,” he said. “There will be one person who wants to be your friend.”
Mammano offered the following advice to his fellow military kids:
“Try new things,” he urged. “Most people never get the chance to experience new cultures, try new foods. You are always just a phone call or a text away from a friend.”
This year marks the 11th anniversary of the awards.
“These seven award recipients are truly exceptional young people who have achieved much at such a young age in terms of academic achievement and service to others. They are remarkable representatives of a larger community of extraordinary military kids,” said retired Brig. Gen. John I. Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront. “The 350 plus nominees we had for our 11th annual Military Child of the Year Awards all personified resiliency, leadership, achievement, and strength of character.”
Other winners include:
Air Force: Benjamin Rawald
Army: Elisabeth McCallum Polleys
Coast Guard: Kylie McGuire
Marine Corps: Jaxson Jordan
Navy: Elisabeth Lundgren
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