Volunteering with the Red Cross helped teenager Hannah Kirksey discover what she wants to do for the rest of her life.
Inspired by her father’s military service, Hannah devoted more than 1,000 volunteer hours last year alone, including participating in the American Red Cross VolunTEEN program in North Carolina. Through the program, she supported military clinics and hospitals alongside our Service to the Armed Forces team, gaining hands-on experience that helped shape her future.
“I got to see some truly, truly amazing things,” Hannah shared. “That was when I knew I wanted to be a part of medicine. This is my passion. This is my calling.”
While volunteering at Navy Medical Center Lejeune, Hannah observed care in the emergency department, labor and delivery, the neonatal intensive care unit, and surgical settings. The experience inspired her plan to study public health and pursue a pre-physician assistant track in college.
Growing up as a military child meant frequent moves and long separations. By age 12, Hannah and her family had relocated six times. Her father, an active-duty U.S. Marine who served for more than 20 years, deployed 16 times. Hannah hopes her journey helps shed light on the resilience of military-connected youth.
“You cannot grow without going through growing pains,” Hannah said. “The experiences and the resilience that I have from it is only something I could have gained by being a military child.”
Through it all, Hannah learned that service extends beyond the uniform.
“It’s not just the person that is actively in the Marine Corps,” Hannah said. “The entire family serves.”
This Month of the Military Child and beyond, we’re proud to support young volunteers like Hannah — helping them serve their communities, discover their passions, and become who they’re meant to be.
ALT A person in a Marine Corps dress uniform stands beside a child wearing a light-colored dress with a bow in their hair. They are outdoors in front of a brick building with trees and smile at the camera.
ALT A person in a medical uniform standing in a locker room. A pink water bottle sits on a bench behind the person.
ALT A person in military uniform is holding a certificate with three people standing beside them, in front of a display. Two flags marked "2/1" are visible in the background.