Side by Side, Every Step of the Way

By Lindsay Cashin, SVP of Advancement & Strategic Partnerships at The COMMIT Foundation—April is the Month of the Military Child—a time to recognize a group that rarely asks for recognition, yet quietly carries more than most ever see.

For my children, being a military child isn’t a chapter or a phase. It’s all they’ve ever known.

They don’t know a version of life without goodbyes at the door, without counting down the days until a homecoming, or without scanning a crowd just a little longer, hoping to spot a familiar face walking back in.

They have lived through deployments, missed birthdays, and holidays where someone important was always a voice on the phone instead of a seat at the table.

They’ve felt the absence in moments that are supposed to be simple.

Donuts for Dad at school.
Father-daughter dances.
Cub Scout camping trips.

Moments where a chair sat empty—but their hearts never did.

Because in the space where something was missing, something else was quietly being built.

At a young age, my children have learned things many spend a lifetime trying to understand.

They’ve learned courage—not the loud, visible kind, but the steady kind that shows up when you keep going even when it’s hard.

They’ve learned bravery—not in grand gestures, but in everyday moments of adapting, adjusting, and standing strong when life doesn’t go as planned.

They’ve learned friendship—the kind that forms quickly, runs deep, and sometimes says goodbye too soon.

They’ve learned to do what is right, even when it’s not easy, because they’ve seen firsthand what service, sacrifice, and commitment truly look like.

And yet—this life has given them something just as meaningful.

It has given them a community.

A community of other children who understand without explanation. Who knows what it means to count down days, to move schools, to start over—and to do it together. Whether through school clubs, base programs, or simply finding each other in a new place, they are never as alone as they might seem.

It has given them a wider view of the world.

They’ve met people from across the country—and across the globe—exposing them to cultures, traditions, and ways of life they might never have encountered otherwise. Their world is bigger, more diverse, and more connected because of it.

It has given them adaptability—not just as a skill, but as a mindset. New places don’t intimidate them. New faces don’t slow them down. They step in, they engage, and they find their footing—again and again.

And through it all, they have each other.

In a life that can shift quickly, that constant—side by side, step for step—becomes its own kind of home.

Being a military child has asked a lot of them.

But it has also given them more than most.

It has shaped them into individuals who are resilient, yes—but also open, aware, and deeply connected to the world around them.

These children are growing into the very kind of leaders, teammates, and citizens our communities need.

This month isn’t just about recognizing what military children go through—it’s about honoring who they are becoming because of it.

And if I’ve learned anything from watching my own children grow through this life, it’s this:

They are stronger than they should have to be…but they are also more capable, more compassionate, and more worldly than I ever could have imagined.

Their story isn’t defined by what they’ve missed—but by how they’ve shown up, again and again, often in ways no one else sees.

This April, and every day, we honor them—not just for what they endure, but for the remarkable lives they are building along the way.