I heard the most amazing story yesterday on All Things Considered. A pair of unrelated 16 year old girls, whose fathers were deployed in Afghanistan, were planning to organize a conference for some 400 Military daughters, under the motto “Unite. Inspire. Lead.” They understood that their own experience of feeling isolated, burdened, insecure and “adultified” by the absence of their respective fathers was a common problem. There sadly isn’t much attention to or understanding of our military children, especially the children of reservists, who aren’t part of a military community and aren’t surrounded by other kids going through the same thing. With the current structure of the armed forces we have more of these kids than we ever did but they are scattered around the country and often do not know each other or have access to any support. Moranda Leah and Kaylei Deakin knew that more could be done, and they were willing to be the ones to do it.
The National Guard helped them attend Maria Schriver’s conference to inspire young women to follow their dreams, and apparently that seed rooted deep. Now they have presented to Schriver’s staff, several brigadier generals, and have even booked the conference center. Their coverage on PRI yesterday was a huge accomplishment, and generated a ton of overnight interest.
The high school girls, who will start their senior year in the fall, have decided to do something that nobody has done before — not Pentagon officials, not governors, not mayors (at least, NPR can’t find a record of it). They are trying to organize the first major get-together for the children, specifically daughters, of troops who have gone to war.”We’d like to boost these girls and their self-esteem and their self-confidence,” Deakin tells the camera.”We are growing the sisterhood, with our mantra: unite, inspire, lead,” Hern adds. They call their conference “The Sisterhood of the Traveling BDUs” — a play on the title of a popular novel and Army speak for battle uniforms.
The entire ATC piece is so inspiring I urge you to listen to it in its entiretly. It will reassure you that this next generation, despite their IPOD’s and constant texting, can carry the burden of our nation towards a brighter and better future. It will inspire you that one person can make a difference and two people can make a movement. It will make you remember when you were in High School and dared to dream impractical things that couldn’t possibly happen.
And it will make you smile.
