Volume 5, Issue 1
January 2022
Commission Holds Annual Business Meeting
The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission, or MIC3, held its Annual Business Meeting (ABM) on November 4-5, 2021, virtually again this year. Attendees included state compact commissioners and ex-officio members. The commission also live streamed the meeting to the public. Highlights included featured guest speaker, Dr. Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education; reports from ex-officio organizations and the Compliance, Rules, Communications and Outreach, Training and Leadership Nomination committees; and general business items.
 
In addition, new executive officers were elected: Connecticut Commissioner, Laura Anastasio was elected as chair after serving three terms as vice chair; Louisiana Commissioner, Ernise Singleton, was elected as vice chair; Missouri Commissioner, Brian Henry, was elected as treasurer; Arkansas Commissioner John “Don” Kaminar will serve as past chair. The Executive Committee also includes a non-voting member, Charles S. “Chuck” Clymer Jr., Child & Youth Education Services, Program Manager from Headquarters, Commander Navy Installation Command, as the U.S. Department of Defense Representative.
 
The following commissioners were appointed by Chair Anastasio to the Executive Committee: Communication and Outreach Committee – Chad Delbridge, Wyoming Commissioner; Compliance Committee Chair – Steven Bullard, Kentucky Commissioner; Training Committee Chair – Shelly Ramos, Texas Commissioner. “I’m honored to have been elected to lead the commission,” said Laura Anastasio, Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission chair. “I look forward to working with members to continue the Commission’s dedication to support military children and families.”
 
The commission has scheduled the next ABM for October 19-20, 2022, in Baton Rouge, LA, and hopes it will be an in-person event.
Webinar: NMFA Study on Teen Mental Health
On January 26th we will have our first webinar of the year. This will feature The National Military Family Association (NMFA) sharing the results of their recent survey done on the military teen experience and the their mental health and well-being. NMFA together with Bloom: Empowering the Military Teen, surveyed over 2,000 military teens in May 2021 to measure the well-being and psychological functioning of our military teen community ages 13 and up. The study indicated while 45% of the respondents have moderate mental well-being, 42% reported a low mental well-being.
 
Dr. Crystal Lewis, NMFA's Director of Research and Insights, and Miss Elena Ashburn, a military teen residing in Florida and Co-Founder of Bloom, an on online platform to empower and inspire military teens, will discuss the study outcomes and the current state of teen mental health and well-being. Register here
Purple Up! for Military Kids in April
The Purple Up! Tool Kit is now available and has all you need to promote MOTMC including letter templates, celebration ideas, posters, and more to promote your support. Although it is celebrated throughout the month of April, the Commission selected Wednesday, April 20, 2022 as our “Purple Up!” day. Please note that states, districts and schools may select a different date(s). Please be sure to tag #MIC3Compact and #purpleup4militarykids.
New Commissioners in 2021
MIC3 has onboarded eight new commissioner. Find out more about our new commissioners below.
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  • Executive - Thursday, January 20, 1:00 PM ET
  • Finance - Wednesday, January 26, 11:00 AM ET
  • Rules - Tuesday, February 8, 2:00 PM ET
  • Training - Tuesday, February 22, 1:00 PM ET
  • Compliance - Tuesday, March 8, 2:00 PM ET
  • Communications and Outreach - Wednesday, March 9, 2:00 PM ET
  • Leadership Nomination - Monday, March 21, 1:00 PM ET
  • Ex-officio - Thursday, April 7, 11:00 AM ET

WEBINARS
  • Wednesday January 26 - NMFA's Military Teen Experience Report: Mental Health and Well-being - register here!
  • Wednesday February 16 - MCEC's SchoolQuest Program - register here!