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Dear TAPS Good Grief Camp Parent,
We want to begin by letting you know how sorry we are for your loss that brought you here to TAPS, but we are grateful that you are reaching out for your children. We are here to support you and your child and to remind you that you are not alone in your grief.
Each Memorial Day weekend, children from all over the nation and all different ages come to the capital, in Washington DC. They have each lost a loved one in the military while serving our country. Whether it be a loved one who died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, in a training or motorcycle accident, suffered a heart attack, or committed suicide, we are here for you. We honor the life and the service of those they loved, not the geography or circumstances of the death. These children are all part of the living legacy of the military service.
Over Memorial Day weekend, the Annual Good Grief Camp consists of many volunteers who are trained in grief and how to work with children. Your child will be assigned a mentor, most who are military service members that volunteer over the long weekend to be with your child and “companion” them and offer a shoulder of support. Many of these volunteers are part of the Honor Guard who perform the burials at Arlington National Cemetery. Although we concentrate on what we call “grief activities”, we also have an incredible time – many parents have said they haven’t seen their child laugh this much in a long time. It is amazing how these children open up and encourage each other…and learn to have fun again reminding all of us that it is okay to laugh! In doing so, we help each other through the hurt, remembering the wonderful memories we have and the love of our military member. In addition to grief work, and having fun, we will tour various sites of our nation’s capital in remembrance of how our nation honors those who have lost their lives while serving our country. A favorite for everyone is eating at the “chow hall” on Ft. Meyer on Saturday and meeting the caisson horses there on post.
Within each group, along with military mentors for each child, there will be a mental health/education professional leader and an experienced TAPS military mentor who lead the group. The Good Grief Camp ends at the Memorial Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery where we hear the president and have a few participants from the camp bring the TAPS flag into the ceremony. TAPS also participates in the laying of a special wreath made by our kids during the camp, which will be placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
TAPS Good Grief camps offer a type of guided peer support for your children found no where else that empowers them to know they are not alone and to learn coping skills to deal with the trials that may lie ahead. They are surrounded by others THEIR AGE who have all lost a loved one in the military – they are able to find a safe haven among new friends who won’t judge them for their loss or say they understand when they don’t. In this group, they find a true sense of belonging with others who have sacrificed what so many take for granted and find comfort in having a new military “big brother” or “big sister” to help guide them along the way.
We understand that it can be difficult for you to grieve while concentrating all of your efforts on assisting your child in this difficult time. TAPS Seminar and Good Grief Camp allows you as the parent to have time to concentrate on yourself and meet others who have had a similar loss while your child is able to do the same in a safe and loving environment.
I encourage you to join us over Memorial Day weekend and hope that it will be a weekend of comfort and healing in you and your child’s journey of grief. Please do no hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. We are always here for you and your family.
Sincerely,
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