WOODBURN, Ore. — The Woodburn City Council recognized April as the Month of the Military Child during its regular meeting on March 23, when Mayor Frank J. Lonergan signed a proclamation honoring the resilience and sacrifice of children with parents serving in the armed forces.

The proclamation was coordinated by the Oregon National Guard's Child and Youth Program as part of a statewide effort to secure similar recognitions from cities across Oregon.

"We do the proclamations for Month of the Military Child — it's our way of spreading the word that we have children who serve alongside their parents," said Lorene Moore, Oregon National Guard Child & Youth Program manager. "We reached out to cities across the state to see if they wanted to be part of honoring our kids."

Moore said up to five cities are expected to sign similar proclamations before April, including Tualatin, Madras, and Warrenton, with a state-level proclamation from the governor's office also under consideration.

Two members of the Oregon National Guard's Teen Panel attended the Woodburn ceremony to speak on behalf of the program. The Teen Panel — a youth leadership initiative that trains military children in public speaking and civic engagement — has become a centerpiece of the proclamation events.

"It's nice to have that support system," said Grace Carlile, a Teen Panel member whose father, Maj. Stephen Carlile, recently returned from deployment with the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team as part of the NATO-led Kosovo Force's 34th rotation. "Especially for kids during deployment, we've been able to lean on each other and have someone who understands, whereas our civilian friends wouldn't."

Natalie Nunn, also a first-year Teen Panel member and student at Cascade High School in Turner, said she has taken on a creative role within the program, designing posters and social media graphics for events including a youth symposium, the Military Ball, and the Back to School Bash. Her father, Tech Sgt. Roy Nunn, is an F-15EX crew chief with the 142nd Wing.

Maj. Stephen Carlile, who recently returned from the Kosovo Force rotation, said the program fills a gap that can otherwise leave military children feeling isolated.

"It gives the children an opportunity to see that there are other children like them," Carlile said. "You might not have somebody in your neighborhood, or even your school, who is going through the same sorts of things — but there are other children throughout the state who are."

As part of its recognition, Woodburn announced plans to illuminate a local overpass in purple in honor of Purple Up! Day, a national observance encouraging communities to show visible support for military children.

April has been designated the Month of the Military Child since 1986, when former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger established it to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of military families.

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