Teal is the colour of the day April 29 at 14 Wing Greenwood.
April is the Month of the Military Child, and April 28 specifically is “Teal Up Day;” occasions celebrate and recognize the strength and resilience of kids in military families across Canada.
The Shilo Military Family Resource Centre launched Teal Up Day, the last Monday in April, in 2021. The colour incorporates all branches of the Canadian Armed Forces: blue for the Royal Canadian Air Force, green for the Canadian Army, and blue and white for the Royal Canadian Navy.
Military children face unique challenges: frequent moves, long separations from loved ones, and the stress of having a parent in service.
“I was a ‘base brat’ growing up,” said 14 Air Maintenance Squadron Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Travis, speaking to a gathered group of military personnel and representatives of Military Family Services Greenwood at a start-of-the-day flag-raising event in front of 26 Canadian Forces Health Services.
“That’s an affectionate term we all use. I remember moving around every few years as a kid: new schools, you don’t know anyone, new friends….
“The dandelion that marks April is the Month of the Military Child – that makes sense as a symbol: the seeds travel wherever the wind takes them, they are quick at setting down roots, they thrive.”
Travis, speaking directly to his military peers, said, when he thinks about family, and children in particular, “they are the reason we fight.
“They are the reason we do what we do, the drive we have to put in the effort, the hours and the time we spend away.”
