WHEREAS, The state of Washington recognizes the selfless acts of service performed by its brave past and present members of the military and their devoted families; and
     WHEREAS, Military families face the unique burden of multiple relocations associated with deployment orders, often causing uncertainty and constant upending of their daily lives and routines; and
     WHEREAS, Military children, in particular, face challenges in successively moving to new locations, including meeting and maintaining friends, participating in extracurricular activities, transferring school records, adjusting to various school curricula and graduation requirements, and continuing at the same grade level, among others; and
     WHEREAS, The average length of duty in the military is two to three years, meaning many children face several daunting moves during the course of their childhood; and
     WHEREAS, An estimated thirty thousand military children currently reside in the state of Washington, the seventh largest such population in the country; and
     WHEREAS, The month of April has been celebrated as the Month of the Military Child since 1986, recognizing the importance of military children and expressing gratitude for their sacrifice; and
     WHEREAS, Military families themselves know of the sacrifices borne by military children, but their important contributions can often go unnoticed by the general public;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives celebrate the Month of the Military Child this April, recognizing the often unsung sacrifices made by military children and commending them for their support and dedication to their families, in service to the protection and advancement of citizens' rights and freedoms; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, Northwest Region.