Courtesy of the Birmingham VA site, I’ve learned that the Birmingham VA Medical Center will be sponsoring a Welcome Home Celebration for Alabama’s veterans this month. These brave men and women will be returning from military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. This event takes place Saturday, April 26, from 11 AM to 2 PM at the Huntsville Space and Rocket Center. Additionally admission to the Space and Rocket Center is free for all OEF/OIF Veterans and their families!

For more information about this event, click here.

The following press release was posted to the SA Forums. I think it would be a great idea for us to contact local news media, city mayors, and state governors and request that April be designated Month of the Military Child.

April marks a very special month in the lives of the military families. Soldiers’ Angels joins the US Department of Defense in recognizing April as the Month of the Military Child, a time to applaud military families and their children for the daily sacrifices they make and challenges they overcome. Secretary of Defense, Caspar Weinberger, established April as the Month of the Military Child in 1986, underscoring the importance of military children and their role in military families.

“Military families learn to be flexible, but extended hours and long deployments often prove to be difficult for America’s military children. I feel this month provides those of us (here) a time to celebrate the unique lifestyles of our military youth and the adjustments that families make during deployments and wartime.” says Patti Patton-Bader, founder of Soldiers’ Angels.

“Being a parent, it breaks my heart to leave my wife and kids behind when I am called to (deploy),” said Cpt. Mark McEvers NDARNG HHC 164 ENG BN SECFOR. “But that is what we do when we are called. We have sworn to support and defend and that is what we do. Our families know this, respect this, and stand by us.