National 4-H and the U.S. military- A partnership in making the best better

High Plains Journal ^ | May 20, 2006 | Jennifer M. Latzke

[ncountylee]

4-H Members and military families have a lot of similarities, starting with the 4-H motto: To make the best, better.

For more than 100 years 4-H groups have improved their communities through service, almost like the military's mission to serve and protect Americans. 4-H Members grow personally through their project work, while military personnel strive to better themselves every day through combat readiness.

So, it wasn't a big stretch in 1995 for National 4-H Headquarters to reach out to the U.S. Army Child and Youth Services and Air Force Family Member Programs to bring 4-H to the children of military personnel.

It was a case of truly making the best this country has to offer even better.

A mission of readiness

Military families make many sacrifices when one member is enlisted in the service. Besides being uprooted on a routine basis, children must also deal with the deployment of one or both parents for long periods. This takes a toll on the family members being deployed, as well as those left behind. As a part of the military's combat readiness initiative, 4-H serves as an outlet for children to both learn life skills, and as a support system for youth whose parents are deployed. And, military parents can face mobilization knowing that their children have safe activities before and after school to keep them occupied. Besides, this uses tax dollars and resources to their most effective potential by combining the expertise of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service in youth development with the Army's goal of becoming a model for national youth programs.

[ncountylee]

Support from the heartland that the elitist media will ignore or, worse, treat with scorn.

[hsalaw]

Great program, and great cooperation between two fine organizations.