U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos kicked off the Month of the Military Child today, April 3, by visiting Kimberly Hampton Primary School in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She visited several classrooms, read to students, and met with school officials and with parents stationed at Fort Bragg.

Following the visit, Secretary DeVos issued the following statement:

"We have a responsibility to ensure every child has access to a quality education, especially those children whose parents dedicate their lives to the service of our country.

"My father was in the U.S. Air Force, and as a result, he and my mother moved around quite a bit due to his service. My mother often taught students who shared the challenge of having a parent or parents serving in the military, deployed abroad or who had given the ultimate sacrifice to our country.

"It is in the vein of these challenges that we honor the children who have a parent or guardian serving in the military. And we renew our commitment to ensuring these students are afforded the opportunity to receive a world-class education, regardless of where their parent or guardian is stationed.

"I am grateful for the men and women who admirably serve our nation, and for their families and children who often bear tremendous burdens on their behalf. Let us honor the service of these courageous men and women through our commitment to their children."

In 1986, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger established April as the Month of the Military Child.