Code of Support Foundation Launches a New Program to Encourage the Nation's Youth to Appreciate Military Service
MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 14, 2012 — In an effort to help young people become aware of the sacrifices that military members and their families make on a daily basis, The Code of Support Foundation (COSF) is launching a series of nationwide design contests for students with the theme of "Service, Sacrifice and Support." The goal of the program is to increase awareness among young Americans of the service and sacrifices of the nation's armed forces, military families, and veterans, and to help the public understand the need to support them during wartime and beyond.
According to Major General (Ret.) Alan Salisbury, Chairman and CEO of Code of Support Foundation, now more than ever, every American needs to reach out to service members and their families. "In this time of declining resources, and with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan winding down, the need is even greater to make sure that those who have sacrificed so much are still supported by the American people, especially the younger generation," Salisbury said. "With this contest, we hope to motivate young people to become part of the solution, involved in programs like this that give them an insight into what serving your country really means."
"Students will be asked to design a single poster, or a series of up to four posters around the theme of service, sacrifice and support," Salisbury added.
Executive director of COSF, Kristina Kaufmann, herself a military spouse, said: "We hope to convey a message that helps young Americans, especially those who have no connection with the military, to understand the sacrifices that our military service members, family members and veterans make on behalf of the rest of us, and their need for public support. We also hope to instill the value of service, and hope that young people grow up with that as a core value."
The Service, Sacrifice and Support Contest series will kick off on Valentine's Day with a poster design contest as the first of four contests planned over the next two years.
Three divisions have been established, including: elementary/middle School, high school, and college (undergraduate full-time) students. Each division will award cash prizes for first, second and third- place winners, with prizes ranging from $200 to $1000. Entries may be submitted by individuals or classes.
Contest submissions may focus on a single aspect of this theme (e.g., military children or veterans), or the broad spectrum, or anything in between.
Entries may be submitted beginning on February 14, and must be received not later than April 13th, 2012. Finalists will be announced and posted on the web on April 27, at which time Web voting will begin. Winners will be announced on May 11th, 2012. Full details of the contest are available on the contest website, , which is also the site where entries must be submitted and Web voting will take place.
Background: The Code of Support Foundation is dedicated to bridging the gap between the American people and our Armed Forces. Its mission is to ensure that America's military communities (our troops, wounded warriors, military families and veterans) have the necessary support resources available to them to fulfill their commitment to serve our nation and defend our freedom. The foundation, a 501(c)(3), works to identify, vet and support other non-profit organizations that support military communities. The foundation created a "Code of Support" intended to help all Americans give meaning to the words "Support Our Troops." The Code of Support parallels the military "Code of Conduct," which guides all service members. In the first article of the Code of Conduct, our troops pledge that they are prepared to give their lives in our defense. The Code of Support is a simple set of promises that all Americans can make to our troops (less than 1%) in return.
The foundation's charter sponsors include: NASCAR; Noblis, Inc; Pragmatics, Inc.; and By Light Professional IT Services.
More information on the Code of Support, the media contests and the foundation may be found at http://www.codeofsupport.org.
CONTACT: John Grady, 703-250-4869
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