“Children in military families experience unique challenges that other children may never face, such as dealing with their deployed parents’ extended absence and anxiety over their safe return,” said Jeff Slowikowski, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) acting administrator, when his office distributed funds to nine organizations to support military children in Fiscal Year 2011.

The Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Utah, along with its national organization, was among those selected and is currently launching "Operation Bigs" for children of military parents.

Any child 9 years old or older who just needs someone else in their lives to provide some support and a friendship is eligible to participate as long as they have a parent who is active military, said Pam Sanders, CEO of the Utah organization.

The child meets with the same volunteer two to four times a month doing things like visiting the library and participating in community events over the course of a year.

A year commitment is required from the volunteers working with children because that is when the most significant changes for participating children is evident in such things as trust issues, attendance at school and higher grades are evident.

"What sets us apart from other mentoring programs is that we follow up every month. We check with the child, the parent and the person who is the match-up for the child to see how things are going," said Sanders.

With a maintenance or improvement of 60.55 percent in grades and educational expectations at 74.35 percent in combined reports from community and school sources for outcomes, it's easy to see why a Big Brother or Big Sister might come in handy. Similar improvements are seen in parental trust relationships as reported by the Utah organization. The Youth Outcome Survey the organization uses charts 8 categories: social acceptance, scholastic competence, education expectations, grades, risk attitudes, parental trust, truancy and special adults (in the child's life).

"We realize that the success with these efforts contribute and go toward that brighter future for the child," she said. Matches are made with geographical, time of day and shared interests as considerations for both the child and the volunteer.

"It's the community's way to say, 'I'd love to reach out to support a family that is sacrificing so much for us,'" said Sanders, as she described efforts by the organization to include military families and their children as participants.

Children do not have to have a deployed parent in order to participate, said Sander. As long as the child has a parent who is active military the child is eligible, she said.

Operation Bigs welcomes military members as volunteers as well.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Utah has set as its mission the goal to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change a child's life for the better, forever.

Anyone interested in enrolling their child in the program may call 801-313-0303 or visit www.bbbsu.org.

As the Principal Director of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Charles Milam, said, "Quality mentoring programs strengthen the department's support for military youth and provide opportunities to fill gaps in programs and services across the country and around the world."

Other programs also awarded OJJJDP grants and offering services to military children are:

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

National 4-H Council

KidsPeace

Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation

National Alliance of Faith & Justice

Public/Private Venture

YMCA of San Francisco