Nominations for the 2012 Military Fatherhood Award Now Closed

Nominations for the 2012 Military Fatherhood Award™ are no longer being accepted.  The three finalists will be announced on this site on or around Monday, April 9, 2012.  A full list of the nominees will also be posted here at that time. 

Please check back for more information about how you can help select the 2012 Military Fatherhood Award™ winner by voting for the finalists on Facebook.

In the meantime, "like" us on Facebook to stay connected and get regular updates from NFI! 

Learn about Sponsorship Opportunities

Your corporation gains brand exposure and tangible support to material families by sponsoring the 2012 Military Fatherhood Award™!

Click here to learn more about benefits and opportunities of sponsorship >>

What is the Military Fatherhood Award™?

The Military Fatherhood Award recognizes and lifts up as an example a military dad who displays an ongoing commitment and dedication to his child(ren), makes extraordinary efforts to father from a distance (when deployed), successfully balances military and family life, and makes an effort to mentor other military fathers and/or military children.

Why is the Military Fatherhood Award™important?

• The Military Fatherhood Award™ recognizes a military dad who is making a difference for his country, the military community, and most importantly, his own children.
• The Military Fatherhood Award™ enables NFI to draw national attention to the challenges military families endure and show them that their willingness to sacrifice the safety and stability of civilian life to defend our freedoms has not gone unnoticed.
• Valuable fatherhood programming and skill-building resources are provided to military installations through NFI’s “Strong Fathers, Strong Families” fund, raised through sponsorship for the Military Fatherhood Award™.

What struggles do military families face?

• 1.8 million military children are affected by the unique stresses of military life. They watch their dad’s plane take off for a distant land and agonize that he may never return. They struggle to accept that for the fifth time in ten years they will have to attend a new school and make new friends. They feel the pressure to shoulder dad’s responsibilities but feel inadequate to do so.
• Military children experience many of the same outcomes as children who live in father absent homes. These potential outcomes include increased depression, heightened behavior and social problems, lower academic achievement, etc. However, the negative impact of a dad’s military service on his children can be mitigated by how well he relates with his kids and their mom.
• Approximately 593,000 active-duty service members and nearly 300,000 U.S. reservists are dads. 150,000 military fathers are currently deployed, with deployments ranging from 30 days to 15 months.

How is the Military Fatherhood Award™ winner chosen?

• NFI solicits nominations for the Military Fatherhood Award™ from the military community and receives up to 600 nominations a year. Nominations come from wives, children, parents, and colleagues of dads representing every branch of the military. Nominations are judged on evidence provided by the nominator that the nominee meets specific criteria.
• In the 2011, for the first time ever, the public was given the opportunity to choose the winner by voting for three finalists on NFI’s Facebook page.
• Once the winner is selected, a special presentation is planned at or near his base where the winner is presented with the Award from NFI and recognized before his colleagues, family, and members of the community for his service to the country and to his family.

How can you be involved?

• Learn about how National Fatherhood Initiative supports Military Fathers and Families, and how you can too!
• Nominate a military dad you think is worthy of this award.  The nomination process will be announced on this page early in the calendar year.
• Ask your company to sponsor the Military Fatherhood Award™.  Contact Renae Smith, Corporate Outreach Coordinator, at rsmith@fatherhood.org or 240-912-1268 for more information on the levels and benefits of sponsorship.
• If you work for the media, contact Vincent DiCaro, Vice President of Public Affairs, at vdicaro@fatherhood.org or 240-912-1270

2012 Sponsors of the Military Fatherhood Award™

(as of January 20, 2012)

Dads of Honor Sponsor

Freedom Sponsors