To celebrate April’s Month of the Military Child, Stars and Stripes is gathering stories about life as a “military brat” from this special group of children. These stories will appear on this site and also in our community newspapers - Stripes Japan, Stripes Okinawa, Stripes Korea and Stripes Guam - throughout April. In Europe, some of your stories will appear in special pullout editions that will run in the global Stars and Stripes newspaper every Thursday in April. (April 4, April 11, April 18 and April 25.) Stories may also be used elsewhere at other times as Stars and Stripes deems appropriate. Stars and Stripes will recognize the DODEA school that submits the most entries with a special prize. To learn more about this promotion, please visit the Rewards for Readers section.
Affectionately known as “dandelions,” the childrenof the men and women in uniform hold a special gift of resiliency.
Print: Stories received by April 15 at 8 a.m., JST, may be included in the editions of Stripes Japan, Stripes Okinawa, Stripes Korea and Stripes Guam. Online: We will accept online messages until midnight EDT on April 30. The site will be available for reading throughout the year.
Your stories don't have to be long, but don't feel like you have to keep it short, either. Just tell us what's on your mind. Stars and Stripes is very proud to server the military community, and it's an honor to spotlight this resourceful group of children. So help us tell the story about life as a military child.
Submit a story >>
Stars and Stripes is authorized for publication by the Department of Defense (DOD) for members of the U.S. military services overseas. However, the contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense or the U.S. European or Pacific Commands. As a DOD newspaper, Stars and Stripes may be distributed through official channels and use appropriated funds for distribution to remote and isolated locations where overseas DOD personnel are located.The appearance of advertising in the print edition or on this website does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense or Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. Products or services advertised in the print edition or on this website shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
It is the policy of Stars and Stripes that all Month of the Military Child stories, poems and drawings submitted for publication in Stars and Stripes are subject to approval. Only stories written in English can be accepted for publication in print or online; stories written in any language other than English will not be published. No stories will be accepted which, in the judgment of Stars and Stripes, are indecent, suggestive or offensive, or in any other way violate Stars and Stripes publication policies. Stars and Stripes does not accept stories which, in its judgment, contain attacks of a personal, racial or religious nature, or which reflect unfavorably on competitive organizations, institutions or merchandise.We reserve the right to make edits in stories. Stars and Stripes reserves the right to reject any story, for any reason, with or without cause, and with or without explanation. By submitting your story to Stars and Stripes, you are warranting that you wrote the story and that it does not violate any copyrights or other third party rights.Stars and Stripes will not share any information collected through its message programs with any third party other than a message program sponsor, however Stars and Stripes does reserve the right to share email addresses through its online programs if requested.