Kentucky Unit 113’s breakfast includes activities, gifts and the performing of the Military Child Table Setting Ceremony.
Established in 1986 by former U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, the Month of the Military Child is observed in April and recognizes the resilience and sacrifice of military children. It honors those children of servicemembers for their ability to face challenges like frequent relocations, separated families and school changes.
At Hardin American Legion Post 113 in Elizabethtown, Ky., American Legion Auxiliary used its monthly Saturday breakfast to honor military children, including those in its Junior program. And the event also showcased a solemn ceremony performed by Unit 113’s Juniors: the Military Child Table Setting Ceremony.
Unit 113 President and Juniors coordinator Angie Saunders said the Junior program was restarted in 2023 after it had lapsed. One of the first things the program did was perform the Military Child Table Setting Ceremony that month at Post 113. It’s continued in April every year since then.
“We’ve got two girls whose daddy is on active reserve,” Saunders said. “Last year he mobilized, and again this year the entire battalion is mobilized. It’s to let them know we care, and to let the children of the community know that we care about them, that they’re important and they’re heroes, too.
“I’m a military child. I was an Army brat. I can relate to all of these on this Military Child Table Setting.”
The Military Child’s Table Setting Ceremony is an American Legion Auxiliary program to involve Auxiliary Junior members and younger Sons of The American Legion to honor the sacrifices of their military child friends and classmates. The ceremony was inspired by the POW/MIA Remembrance Table Ceremony.
The non-traditional place setting of the Military Child’s Table Setting Ceremony includes:
· The potted flower plant symbolizes that a military child may flower and flourish where they are planted.
· The hand spade recognizes that they may be transplanted to a new place in the world at a moment’s notice.
· The birthday hat and unlit candles, along with the baseball and glove, and ballet slippers represent special occasions that are missed.
· The family photo depicting a child with his/her uniformed parent demonstrates our country’s strength.
· The final touch to the table setting is the American flag to remind us that families are united in their commitment to national service, at home or away.
“I had each one of the Juniors who wanted a speaking part to speak,” Saunders said. “Some of them are young and not so comfortable speaking, so they were the presenters. The ones who wanted to speak spoke about the Military Child Table Setting. And some of them actually placed items on the table.”
The breakfast event also included various crafts, passing out an I’m a Hero Too button, a gift bag that included coupons for free community activities, a commemorative token for each participant and the crafting of a dandelion poster in honor of the official flower of Month of the Military Child.
But the highlight of the event was the Military Child Table Setting Ceremony, which made an impact on one of the attendees. Radcliff City Council member Toshie Murrell presented a signed proclamation from Radcliff Mayor J.J. Duvall recognizing April as the Month of the Military Child.
“It was the first time (Murrell) had seen this Military Child Table Setting Ceremony,” Saunders said. “While the mayor was out of town, she called and told him, ‘I was just so touched with this.’ Well, he invited the Juniors to present (the ceremony) on April 21 at the Radliff City Council meeting. We are in a community with a lot of veterans, and a lot of veterans haven’t seen this ceremony before. It warms my heart.”
- Community