Military Child Education Coalition

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Military Child Education Coalition MCEC® supports all military-connected children by educating, advocating, and collaborating to resol

MCEC® delivers programs, services, and professional development to meet the needs of military-connected students, parents, and professionals.

10/26/2026

In a recent episode of the MCEC® Podcast, we sat down with the Objective Zero Foundation — a nonprofit built on the belief that veteran and military su***de can be prevented through connection.

Their free, anonymous app connects service members, veterans, and their families to peer supporters called Pathfinders, who show up simply to listen and reduce the isolation that too often goes unspoken.

We talk about what it looks like to recognize when someone needs to be heard, how communities can show up for military families in meaningful ways, and why something as small as a conversation can make all the difference.

Listen at the link below.
https://militarychild.org/programs-and-initiatives/mcec-podcast/

If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by call or text.

Defense communities do not just house military families. They shape them.We are in Tampa today for the 2026 ADC Installa...
10/26/2026

Defense communities do not just house military families. They shape them.
We are in Tampa today for the 2026 ADC Installation Innovation Forum, and tomorrow we take the stage.

MCEC President and CEO Mary Bier moderates “From Belonging to Service: How Defense Communities Build Future Leaders” alongside Jerrod Wheeler, Superintendent of K**b Noster Public Schools and MCEC Board Member, and Kaylie Jones, MCEC Student 2 Student® Alumna — bringing both the institutional and the lived perspective to the conversation.

If you are attending, join us:
Tuesday, October 27 | 12:15 to 1:00 PM ET
Tampa Convention Center

Military-connected kids thrive when we create spaces to learn, play and connect together.We're grateful to H-E-B and San...
10/25/2026

Military-connected kids thrive when we create spaces to learn, play and connect together.

We're grateful to H-E-B and San Antonio Zoo for partnering with MCEC® on A Day in the Life of the Military Child, an evening built especially for military-connected families in San Antonio. Friday, November 20, 4–8 PM.

Free for service members and the first 350 family members who register at https://sazootickets.parkezpay.com/ #/72/EDUCATIONC/store

Join us there!

If you’re a military family, there are a few details worth knowing before you file for FAFSA.One common misconception is...
10/24/2026

If you’re a military family, there are a few details worth knowing before you file for FAFSA.

One common misconception is that military education benefits make FAFSA unnecessary. They do not.

Federal veterans education benefits are not reported as income on the FAFSA, which means families using GI Bill or related benefits should still complete the form. FAFSA can help students access federal, state, school-based, and scholarship aid that may work alongside military education benefits.

A few other things to keep in mind:

The 2027–28 FAFSA is for the July 1, 2027–June 30, 2028 school year. The federal deadline is later, but state and school priority deadlines can come much sooner, and some funding is limited. Filing early matters.

Some military pay and allowances are treated differently. BAH and combat pay are generally excluded from FAFSA income reporting, but schools may consider certain allowances differently when awarding institutional aid. It is always worth checking directly with the financial aid office.

Active-duty students may qualify as independent students. Students on active duty in the U.S. armed forces are considered independent for federal student aid purposes, which can affect how aid is calculated.

Create your Federal Student Aid account before you sit down to file. You will need it to start, access, and submit the FAFSA form.

The 2027–28 FAFSA uses 2025 tax information. Having that information ready can make the process smoother.

Questions about navigating the college transition as a military family? Join us for our free webinar on October 28 — From Base to College. We’ll cover the financial aid process, how military education benefits may fit into college planning, and what military-connected students and families should know before that first semester.

Register here: https://bit.ly/4zjr2XP

10/23/2026

Q: What advice would you give to someone entering a new environment?

She has been there. At GTS 2026 in San Antonio, this S2S® alumni student shared her answer from experience — the kind that only comes from navigating new schools, new communities, and new beginnings as a military-connected kid.

Her words are a reminder that the best advice often comes from someone who has walked the same road.

Download free Start With Hi resources to help students, parents, and educators make every new beginning a little easier at militarychild.org/start-with-hi/

Defense communities don’t just house military families — they shape them.Join MCEC President & CEO Mary Bier as she mode...
10/22/2026

Defense communities don’t just house military families — they shape them.

Join MCEC President & CEO Mary Bier as she moderates “From Belonging to Service: How Defense Communities Build Future Leaders” at the 2026 ADC Installation Innovation Forum.

Panelists include Jerrod Wheeler, Superintendent of K**b Noster Public Schools and MCEC Board Member, and Kaylie Jones, MCEC Student 2 Student® Alumna — bringing both the institutional and the lived perspective to the conversation.

Join us
Tuesday, October 27 | 12:15 to 1:00 PM ET
Tampa Convention Center

10/21/2026

Military-connected children face unique challenges, but they also bring incredible strength, perspective, and leadership to their schools and communities.

MCEC’s work helps ensure those students have the support, resources, and connection they need to keep growing into the leaders they already have the potential to become.

To our supporters: your generosity continues to make this work possible. Thank you for helping build meaningful impact for military-connected children and families.

For many military-connected children, moving is not a one-time disruption. It is part of growing up.Box No. 7 represents...
10/20/2026

For many military-connected children, moving is not a one-time disruption. It is part of growing up.

Box No. 7 represents the scale of what they may experience across their school years: multiple moves, multiple schools, multiple communities, and multiple moments of starting over.

Military kids often move 6 to 9 times between kindergarten and 12th grade. Each move can affect friendships, academic continuity, confidence, and a child’s sense of belonging.

Your year-end gift to MCEC helps make sure the next school is ready before a military-connected student arrives — with resources, awareness, and support that can make transition feel less overwhelming.

Send stability ahead: https://bit.ly/4z2n31z

Military-connected students are some of the most resilient people in the world. They have learned to adapt, rebuild, and...
10/16/2026

Military-connected students are some of the most resilient people in the world. They have learned to adapt, rebuild, and find their footing in new places over and over again. That kind of flexibility does not happen overnight, it is something that grows with every transition, and with every person who helps make a new place feel a little more like home.

If you are in the middle of a move or helping a student through one, the Start With Hi campaign has free resources to help make the transition smoother.

Download them at militarychild.org/start-with-hi/

Something big is coming to San Antonio!On November 10, Military Child Education Coalition® is bringing together Student ...
10/15/2026

Something big is coming to San Antonio!

On November 10, Military Child Education Coalition® is bringing together Student 2 Student® teams from across Texas for the S2S® Mega Jamboree — a full day of connection, leadership, and pride at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Students will choose from two tracks: the Jamboree experience for established S2S teams, or foundational S2S training for schools launching a new program. Five hours of community, skill-building, and everything that makes S2S what it is.

Register now at the link below. We cannot wait to see you there.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/student-2-student-mega-jamboree-tickets-1999711448774?aff=oddtdtcreator

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909 Mountain Lion Cir
Harker Heights, TX
76548

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+12549531923

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