This year NMFA’s Operation Purple Camps will host children at 64 locations in 37 states and territories:

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the Virgin Islands.

Information about specific camp locations is available at the Operation Purple Web site, www.nmfa.org. Specific camp information is available now. Registration began March 24, but it is NOT first-come, first-served, so there’s still time to register. Interested families can sign-up to receive e-mail notices and announcements on the Web site.

NMFA understands that these are trying times for our youngest heroes. Operation Purple camps teach kids skills for dealing with their feelings and provide the chance to share in some carefree fun with other military kids. Families are encouraged to apply to the location closest to home, as transportation costs are not covered.

Each camp is ‘‘purple” and open to children of any member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plus the National Guard and Reserve. Camps are free to all participants thanks to a partnership with the Sierra Club and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

About NMFA

The National Military Family Association, the only non-profit organization that represents families of all ranks and services, prepares spouses, children and parents to better deal with the unique challenges of military life. The Association protects benefits vital to all families, including those of the deployed, wounded and fallen. For nearly 40 years, NMFA's staff and volunteers, comprised mostly of military family members, have built a reputation as the leading experts on military family issues. For more information, visit the NMFA Web site at www.nmfa.org.