Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the eligibility requirements?
Answer...- Child must be a legal military dependent. Status confirmed by Military ID or DEERS enrollment form.
- Child must be between the ages of 13 and 18, at the time of nomination.
- Child and one adult guardian must be available to travel to the Washington, DC area for the April 18-April 20, 2018 Gala award presentation.
- Officers, directors, employees, and agents of Operation Homefront and its subsidiaries or affiliated organizations, and their immediate family members (parent, child, sibling and spouse of each) and those living in the same households of each are not eligible to receive programs, services, grants or donated goods intended for use by Operation Homefront’s clients.
- Previous Military Child of the Year Award Recipients are no longer eligible
In addition to the above eligibility requirements, nominees must:
• Provide letters of recommendation if selected as a finalist.
• Must consent to a background check if selected as a recipient. -
Who can make a nomination?
Answer...Anyone can make a nomination so long as they complete the required fields in the online nomination form.
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Can I mail in a nomination?
Answer...Unfortunately, we are unable to accept nominations outside our online system.
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Are children of Reserve service members eligible to apply for this award?
Answer...Yes. Please apply under your corresponding service branch. Children must meet all eligibility requirements including evidence of their status as a military dependent.
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Are children of National Guard service members eligible to apply for this award?
Answer...Yes! Please apply under the National Guard category. In the past, children of National Guard service members applied under their corresponding Army or Air Force category. We've determined that it was time to celebrate our National Guard kids with their own award category in consideration of the unique demands placed on post 9/11 era National Guard families and the inclusion of the Chief of the National Guard Bureau as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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Are children of a retired veteran eligible to apply for this award?
Answer...If the Veteran is a "military retiree", the child is eligible to apply. A military retiree is any member or former member of the uniformed services who is entitled, under statue, to retired, retirement, or retainer pay on account of service as a member, or who receives military retired or retainer pay.
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Are children of a deceased service member eligible to apply for this award?
Answer...Yes, so long as the child is treated as a military dependent (with military ID and benefits) as a result of their deceased parent's service, the child is eligible to apply. Children of a parent KIA/MIA are generally eligible so long as they continue to be eligible for military dependent status.
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Why are nominations limited to children age 13 to 18?
Answer...From 2008 to 2016, Military Child of the Year nominees were required to be between the ages of 8 and 18. When the Innovation Award category began in 2015, the age requirement was determined to be ages 13-18. A question was raised whether the age requirements should be the same for all Military Child of the Year nominees. After further discussion, it was agreed that the age criteria would be the same for all nominations for 6 military branches and the Innovation Award. Eligibility criteria now requires that all nominees be between the ages of 13-18.
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My child is 12, are we eligible to apply?
Answer...No. Eligible children must be between the ages of 13-18 at the time of the nomination to qualify. If your child is currently 12, please apply next year!
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My child is 18 but will turn 19 before the Gala ceremony in April, are we eligible to apply?
Answer...Yes, otherwise eligible children must be between the ages of 13-18 at the time of the nomination to qualify. So long as the child meets the qualification at time of nomination, they are eligible.
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My child is a Semi-Finalist! My child does not have a military ID, what else can I send to prove dependent status?
Answer...If you cannot provide a clear copy of the FRONT & BACK of a military dependent ID, please make a copy of the Form 1172- DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System) application clearly showing your child's name and age. Please black out any social security numbers.
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My child is a Semi-Finalist! Will a cell phone photo satisfy the photo requirement?
Answer...No, the photo is used for newspaper and media releases and needs to be a high resolution photo for best quality. We require a high resolution photo, jpeg format, 300 dpi or higher. If you are not super tech savvy, use this method. Scan a large (8X10) photo at the highest resolution (your computer will list options, click "high" or "optimal" resolution). This will usually work to get your best quality photo.
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My child is a Semi-Finalist! How do I check if I have a high-resolution photo?
Answer...If you are unsure about your photo's resolution quality, please open your photo and right click to open the image menu. Scroll to "Properties." Open the "Details" tab and scroll down to "Image". Horizontal DPI and Vertical DPI should both be 300 or higher. If the number is less than 300, please scan the photo again and re-save at the highest resolution.
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My child is a Semi-Finalist! What type of photo should I send?
Answer...Please send a high resolution, color photo, jpeg format.
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When will we receive our prizes if we win?
Answer...All award recipients of each service branch will receive their laptop and cash award on or near the date of the Gala in Washington DC.
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Do I need to pay taxes on the prizes?
Answer...Tax regulations change frequently. Operation Homefront recommends Recipient's parents consult with their family tax professional.
