Forgotten Conscripts

Teenage years can be difficult, but military-connected adolescents have added obstacles growing up within the military culture. They are essentially conscripted into serving their county – whether they want to or not – from the moment they are born. For the youth of this generation, who have known nothing but a world consistently engaged in global conflict capable of ripping their loved ones away from them, the path they travel can be arduous, lonely, and hidden from the world. Schools are one of the few places that adolescents could receive support, nurturing, and acceptance outside of the home. Yet military students and their needs remain unacknowledged, making them an invisible minority in education. With more than four million military-connected children in the nation, over 80% enrolled in public schools, these students deserve to have a light shined on their lives. Forgotten Conscripts: Understanding the Needs of Military-Connected Adolescents looks deeper into the perceptions, beliefs, and experiences of military-connected adolescents to better inform teaching and learning among members of this culture so they might no longer be forgotten.

As a military spouse there are numerous books and group forums where we can vent, connect with other spouses, or read and share experiences ... not thinking about how difficult it is for our children. The military child's point of view is hardly ever shared. Forgotten Conscripts gives excellent insight into what life is like for military-dependent children.--Maritza McCormick, military spouse, and parent to three military-connected children, Dr. Hanna has expertly identified the issues that many military families encounter as they raise adolescents. She has used her unique perspective as veteran, an educator, and a mother to shed light on this important area of study. Forgotten Conscripts is a must read for those both inside and outside of the military community - because these children touch all of society.--Benton B. Gammons, military parent, These children are just as much an important part of our society that we want to go on and become productive citizens. This cannot be done without investing in them and addressing their unique needs ... Forgotten Conscripts drops a pebble into the educational water to create ripples that will become powerful tides of change.--Felicia Haecker, Dog Tag Divas founder, Air Force veteran, military parent, and former military-connected child, This book provides accurate accounts on the lifestyle and challenges teenagers experience who grow up in a military family ... Forgotten Conscripts is a valuable book that can help educators support their students in the classroom to excel and deal with the daily challenges they face being in a military family.--Joyce V. Cowan, LTC (R), Army Nurse Corps, and military parent, This is a group of individuals who have experiences and skills that help prepare them to become effective leaders. We want and NEED them to feel valued, and BE valued for those experiences, not ostracized. We can't afford for them to be Forgotten Conscripts.--Pat McKlem, 30+ year Veteran advocate

Jennie L. Hanna has held several titles within the military culture throughout her life including military brat, soldier, Army wife, Air Force mom, and educator to hundreds of military-connected adolescents. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma, where she focused on military culture and multicultural education in secondary schools and has taught in both high school and collegiate English classrooms in Oklahoma for more than 13 years.