Red Cross Honors Military Children at Annual Nashville Area Military Kids Serve Too Event

In a special military ceremony called, “Military Kids Serve Too,” 64 happy, rambunctious, young kids, accompanied by their parents, stopped laughing and playing long enough to line up quietly at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville to meet Colonel Jason Glass, Asst. Adjutant General of the Tennessee National Guard. The smiling Col. Glass greeted each child with a handshake---and inside the handshake was a colorful Red Cross coin, a symbol of the appreciation military leaders have for the children of military families.

Col. Glass said, “We’re coining these children today because they’ve served as well. They didn’t sign on the dotted line like their parents did, but they’re nevertheless serving their country. They sacrifice just like their families do…sometimes even more so since they’re often too young to understand. It’s only fitting that we coin them. It’s a military tradition and each unit has its own coin. And these kids are great patriots.  Military kids are very persevering, and they grow up as concerned citizens. They have a great sense of community and involvement because their loved ones are doing something greater than themselves.” 

John Athan, 12, and  his sister,  Anabel Athan, 10, proudly show off their military coins as Col. Glass looks on.

Anderson Fields, 1, high-fives Col Glass.

Austin Howard, son of Maj. Clifford and Tina Howard, examines the Red Cross logo on the back of his military coin

Kamper Vermillian, age 1,  takes a coin from Col. Glass

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Vermillion, baby, Kamper, son, Tannon (black shirt), friend, Ryder Jones enjoyed the coining ceremony.

Red Cross staff and volunteers at the coining ceremony: (Back row, L-R) Nathan Suber, Perry Colson, and Brian McIlvaine (Front row, L-R) Denisha White, Katie Schafer, and Danny Stokes.

Article and photos by Marvin Koch, American Red Cross Volunteer