Military 4-H Programs

Since 1995, 4-H National Headquarters has worked in partnership with U.S. Army Child and Youth Services (CYS), Air Force Family Member Programs (FMP) and Navy to extend 4-H to U.S. military families worldwide. With the support of 4-H professionals, military staff and volunteers provide quality developmental programs for children in safe and nurturing environments so that military men and women can pursue their critical, high risk assignments.

4-H clubs provide "a slice of home" for military youth worldwide through quality educational experiences using research-based curricula for youth ages 5 -19. Military youth can become involved in 4-H and continue their 4-H work wherever they move when their parents are transferred or deployed.

More recently, community programs to support National Guard, Reserve and Accessions Command families have been added.

Visit the 4-H Military Partnerships Web site to learn more about these programs.

State 4-H Military Liaisons
Each state has a 4-H military liaison to support the work with Army and Air Force and to reach out to the Army and Air National Guard and Reserve units. The liaison assists county 4-H and installation staff, coordinates 4-H military partnership efforts in the state, integrates military 4-H clubs into the statewide 4-H and Extension program, and collaborates with other 4-H military liaisons to support these efforts. Contact your liaison to learn more.

4-H/Army Youth Development Project
The NIFA and Army CYS partnership brings together USDA’s expertise in youth development with the Army’s model youth programs. The 4-H/Army Youth Development Project helps 4-H and Extension impact new audiences while meeting the Army CYS mission of providing predictable, consistent youth programs on installations worldwide.

U.S. Air Force Family Member Programs
The U.S. Air Force and Extension have been partners since 1995 on several projects. 4-H and the Air Force Family Member Programs are working together to establish and increase 4-H programs on Air Force bases. Partnerships are being established at the local level, and FMP staff worldwide have attended “4-H 101” training.

4-H/Navy Youth Development Project
In July, 2007, NIFA signed an agreement with the United States Navy Child and Youth Programs (CYP) to initiate the 4-H/USN 4-H Youth Development Project. Like the existing 4-H Army and Air Force partnerships, this project will be a collaboration of 4-H National Headquarters, 4-H faculty of Land Grant Universities and Navy CYP staff.  4-H Youth Development professionals will take assignments at Navy locations to provide training and technical assistance for Navy staff and to support the establishment of 4-H Clubs on Navy bases worldwide. The Navy will join Army, Air Force, and 4-H National Headquarters in providing Military 4-H Club Grants to State 4-H programs. 

Operation: Military Kids
When National Guard, Army Reserve and other military parents living in civilian communities are mobilized, their children's lives are turned upside down! Many of their usual support systems may no longer be adequate. These "new" military kids need to connect with other youth in similar situations.

State and County Cooperative Extension staff, community agencies, schools, and 4-H Club youth are reaching out to military youth ... Before, During and After their parents are deployed. This outreach effort is called Operation: Military Kids!

Military 4-H Club Grants
NIFA, Army CYS, Air Force FMP and and Navy CYP award Military 4-H Club grants to state Extension Services. These grants support county and university Extension faculty in establishing 4-H clubs and programs on installations worldwide and opening local community 4-H clubs to military-connected youth and families living off post.

For more information about these military partnership programs, contact Eddy Mentzer at 202-690-2086 or email us at 4hhq@nifa.usda.gov.

Additional Resources:

CYFERnet Resources During Wartime are resources for parents, families and professionals from various state Cooperative Extension Service specialists. CYFERnet (Children, Youth, and Family Education and Research Network) is sponsored by NIFA and partner land-grant universities.