Housed in the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension is excited to announce the 5th annual Military Family Readiness Academy.  

This year’s academy includes a series of live panel discussions and webinars led by professionals in the field of military youth — children in active-duty military families. These virtual sessions include topics focused on fostering belonging, support and leadership among military youth.  

The event is hosted by OneOp, a virtual platform focused on providing professional development opportunities by field experts on military matters. It’s supported through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Military Family Readiness Policy and by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 

This year’s academy will address unique challenges many military families face.  

“More than 60% of military families live off base, which means they’re relying on local organizations, schools and extension offices for support,” said Nichole Huff, Ph.D., an assistant extension professor in the School of Human Environmental Services at Martin-Gatton CAFE and principal investigator of the subaward to UK. “We all play a role in their success.” 

Kentucky, home to both Fort Knox and Fort Campbell, ranks No. 11 in the nation for highest population of active-duty military — drawing the need for more resources and education for military youth.  

“Combined, Fort Knox and Fort Campbell support more than 268,000 people — a testament to how deeply military life is woven into the fabric of Kentucky,” Huff said. “As the home of over 36,800 military-connected students, Kentucky is on the front lines of supporting military youth who deserve targeted support.” 

 Academy highlights include:  

• Unified Support for Military-Connected Teens’ Well-Being (August 13). A live panel discussion with military youth experts to support military-connected youth.  
• Fostering Belonging for Military-Connected Teens (August 27). A webinar focused on the impact of school transitions and strategies to foster a sense of belonging with military teens.  
• Creating Accessible Youth Development Programs in Military Communities (September 10). A session on how camps, 4-H and military youth services can support youth, including those with disabilities.  
• Launching Leaders: Preparing Military-Connected Teens for Adulthood (September 24). A webinar highlighting the importance of positive youth-adult relationships and strategies on building resilience among teens.  

“At OneOp, we’re empowering service providers through evidence-based professional development to help military youth find belonging, resilience and leadership opportunities no matter where they live,” said Kristen Jowers, extension specialist for OneOp, in the School of Human Environmental Sciences. 

Find more information and where to register for the academy online at ONEOP.ORG/SERIES/2025ACADEMY.  

To learn more about programs supporting military families at Martin-Gatton CAFE, visit https://fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/content/military-family-programs. 

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under subaward number 2023-48770-41333. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Department of Agriculture. 

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