The six winners of Operation Homefront's Military Child of the Year awards are "perfect examples of the stellar quality of military kids," Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said at an awards gala Thursday.

"What's so great about this event is that we're really celebrating all of our military children," Dempsey said.

This year, for the first time, the National Guard was added as a separate category. "Thanks so much for including us," said National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Frank Grass, before he presented the award to Zachary Parsons of Warrensburg, Missouri, son of Sgt. 1st Class Jason Parsons and Debbie Parsons.

"Our Military Child of the Year winner represents the 460,000 men and women of the National Guard," Grass said.

"I'm really happy about being the first National Guard kid," Zachary, 16, said after the event. "I'm paving the way for other kids, and letting people know that National Guard kids also serve. I'm extremely grateful to Operation Homefront. This is a great opportunity."

Nearly 500 nominations were received for the award. The six recipients were chosen by a committee that included active-duty and retired service members, spouses of senior leaders, veterans service organization leaders, teachers and community members. The awards were presented to the children by senior service leaders at the gala in Arlington, Va.

Dempsey said as he walks by the desks of service members, he sees the photos of their children, often attached to the dividers that separate their work spaces. Parents are proud of their children, and the children are proud of their parents, he said.

As difficult as it can be when a service member is away from family, "the homecomings are fantastic," Dempsey said.

He recalled a particular homecoming ceremony years ago when he noticed a young girl of about 7 sitting off to the side, waiting for her father. She spotted a soldier coming off the plane, and saw that there was no one there to greet him. Before she went to her own father, she ran over to that soldier, gave him a big hug, and said, "Welcome home."

"Somehow this young girl understood there was something going on" with the soldier, Dempsey said, visibly moved. "It wasn't just about her. I'll never forget that."

He noted that this year's six award winners have made service to others a priority.

"Our awardees have inspired us," he said. "I'm honored to be the chairman of such an incredible fighting force and the incredible military families who support them."

Jason Brown, who left a lucrative career as a professional football player to purchase a farm in North Carolina, talked about service to the community in his keynote remarks at the event.

His family farm yielded about 10,000 pounds of cucumbers and 120,000 pounds of sweet potatoes last year, given to food pantries and churches in North Carolina. This year, he expects to give 80,000 pounds of sweet potatoes to Feed the Children, which will distribute it to military families.

People have praised him for what he has done, and children have called him a hero. But that word is thrown around too much, he said, adding that his older brother, a soldier who died in Iraq in 2003, is a true hero.

"Nothing I've done can compare to what he did," Brown said. The memory of his brother, always urging him to be the best man he could be, contributed to his decision to change the direction of his life, and return to his foundation of faith and family, he added.

He said the Military Child of the Year award winners have inspired him, and that he hopes those attending become infected with the feeling of love of service evident in these children.

The winners each received $10,000, a laptop, a $100 gift certificate, and other gifts.

After the ceremony, when the children were presented their gifts, 13-year-old Cavan McIntyre-Brewer immediately took his new laptop to a couch and began working with it.

"I used to have a computer, but someone stole it," he said. His mother, Michelle, said Cavan used the computer to do his work for his Socks for Vets program, which collects socks and other needed items and distributes them to wounded warriors and veterans. The computer was stolen shortly before he found out he was named Operation Homefront's Army Military Child of the Year.

Coast Guard Military Child of the Year Caleb Parsons, 18, got another surprise earlier in the day, when his mother, Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Story Parsons, flew in from Qatar, where she is deployed.

"I was hopeful my mom could come, but pretty sure she couldn't," said the teen, who is headed to the U.S. military Academy in West Point, New York, this summer. "When she showed up in the lobby, I was shocked,"

His mother said Caleb's jaw dropped when he spotted her. "He hugged me like it was the last time he'd ever hug me. I told him how proud of him I was," she said, adding that many people had a role in getting her home for the day. She was scheduled to return to Qatar the following morning.

When Caleb accepted his award on stage, his mother said she experienced "the most proud feeling a mom could ever feel. I didn't deserve to have such an amazing son. Truly, to raise a man like that, it takes an army. Everybody in my life has contributed to our children's lives."

The six recipients are:

Air Force: Sarah Francesca Hesterman, 16, of Doha, Qatar, daughter of Air Force Lt. Gen. John W. Hesterman, commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and retired Air Force Col. Jennifer Hesterman.

Army: Cavan Grey McIntyre-Brewer, 13, Duncannon, Pennsylvania, son of Capt. Steven Brewer, medical detachment commander at Kirk Army Health Clinic, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and Michelle McIntyre-Brewer.

Coast Guard: Caleb Michael Parsons, 18, of Suffolk, Virginia, son of Coast Guard Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class Ward Parsons, stationed at Tactical Law Enforcement Team South in Opa Locka, Florida, and Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Story Parsons.

Marine Corps: Christopher-Raul Rios Rodriguez, 17, son of Gunnery Sgt. Jermaine Allen Smith, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, and Griscelda Smith.

National Guard: Zachary Alan Parsons, 16, of Warrensburg, Missouri, son of Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Parsons, currently at the Wounded Warrior Transition Unit, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Debbie Parsons.

Navy: Emily Elizabeth Kliewer, 17, of Orlando, Florida, daughter of retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kyle Kliewer and Cynthia Kliewer.

Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.

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