What do military and veteran children want us to know? Camp Corral supports kids by listening to them first National nonprofit, Camp Corral, serves the families of our nation’s military heroes by starting with their children. Since its inception in 2011, Camp Corral has recognized the very real hardships that go along with serving as a military-connected child, especially one who has experienced the trauma of having a parent who is wounded, ill or fallen because of their military service. As part of its vision to empower these children to live their best lives, Camp Corral develops and delivers specialized programming designed to meet their unique needs. Nearly 35,000 children from every state in the nation have participated in Camp Corral’s weeklong summer camps — all at no cost to their families. In addition to camps designed to offer respite, build peer-support networks, strengthen self-confidence and reinforce coping skills, Camp Corral plays an active role in advocating for military-connected children, particularly among non-military individuals who may not understand what it means to have a parent serving our nation. This past year, the nonprofit joined DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and PsychArmor Institute to share responses from more than 2,000 militaryconnected children and make their voices heard in an educational video titled “15 Things Military and Veterans’ Kids Want You to Know,” which can be viewed at www.campcorral.org/resources and used as an educational resource. Highlights from the educational resource include the fact that military kids cope with stress in unique ways and process their feelings differently from other children. That stress can manifest as physical symptoms, such as a stomachache, which they may not want to share with others over worries of overburdening friends or family members. Stress and worry may also be amplified by the fact that military children often step up to serve as caregivers. Camp Corral surveys indicate that more than 70% of children who participate in its programs take on caregiving duties in their household. 32
WWW.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com / APRIL 2022
