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Letter from Gov. Pawlenty

Dear Minnesota Military Families:

Your children deserve the opportunity of recognition and thanks for their military family service and sacrifice. Governor Pawlenty would like to send a letter to dependent Military Children in honor of April: Month of the Military Child. Please read the announcement below and register your child at www.minnesotaveteran.org/child before 10 MAY 2008. All Military Servicemembers are eligible.

The month of April is recognized as the Month of the Military Child to emphasize the important role military children play while a parent is serving in uniform. This tradition was established in 1986 by former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and has been commemorated annually every since.

Military children confront many issues that are unique to their
situation, such as moving frequently, having a parent deployed for long periods of time and having to live with the knowledge that their parent may be in harm’s way. It is estimated that in Minnesota over 15,000 children have been affected by a parent’s deployment. These young people are in a unique position of
having a parent serving on active-duty while their state does not have a military base to offer the family support. Often these young people must step up to help meet the needs of their family and sacrifice much of the freedom of childhood.

Governor Tim Pawlenty would like to recognize military children with a communication of gratitude in honor of the service and sacrifice these young Minnesotans make on behalf of our state and nation. If you know of a military child and would like to have them receive a message from the Governor, please submit the following information:

Mailing address of each child * Servicemember email address

This information should be submitted on the registration form at
www.minnesotaveteran.org/child

A letter from the Governor will be mailed to the child in May or June.