An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Air Force Military Child of the Year Sarah Hesterman puts the ‘stand’ in standard

  • Published
  • By By Staff Sgt. Alexandre Montes
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Military children are part of a bigger family and mission in the world. The driving force behind many service members is to become better sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines. Sarah Hesterman has taken the challenge upon herself to set the gold standard of inspiration for future military families and children.

Imagine a world traveled 16 year old leaving an everlasting impact on those around her.  In the Hesterman household, this is a reality.  Sarah is a typical military dependent that carries a 3.8 GPA while attending school here in Qatar.  But how did Hesterman win an Air Force Military Child of the Year award, exactly?

“I never would have the opportunities to travel around the world and experience so many different cultures if it weren’t for the military,” said Hesterman. “I am excited to represent all military children and the incredible contributions they make to their communities and the world.”

A nonprofit organization called Operation Homefront holds an awards ceremony every year to celebrate the great accomplishments that our military children contribute to service member families and wounded warriors.  A lengthy resume of community involvement and dedication earned Hesterman a trip she will remember for a lifetime.

“I was selected by Operation Homefront as the Air Force Military Child of the Year. They flew my family and me to Washington, DC for a visit to Capitol Hill, a tour of the monuments and evening awards gala presided over by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dempsey. “

Among her accolades, she is currently in an International Baccalaureate program.  This does not include the other advanced placement courses she undertakes at her school.  Academic decorations are never in short supply for Hesterman.   She has been awarded an achievement for formal Arabic as well.  This has helped her communicate fluently with the Qataris, especially important as the founder of ‘Girl Up Qatar’.

Hesterman said that Girl Up is a United Nations Foundation organization that advocates and fundraises on behalf of adolescent girls in developing countries, focusing specifically on education, health care, and safety.  She learned of the organization spring of 2014 during a speech, and then attended a leadership course in Washington, D.C., which gave her the tools to set the gears in motion and lobby congress for the Girls Count Act.

“When I came back to Qatar in August for my junior year of high school, I started the first-ever Girl Up club in Qatar,” said Hesterman. “I am the president of the club and help students advocate and raise funds for girls in developing countries. The organization has also provided a much-needed platform for girls to talk about issues related to our peers in other countries.”

Attending an overseas school with children representing more than 70 different nationalities, this was the perfect melting pot for Hesterman to thrive on her ambitions for a better tomorrow.  She said they had a broad perspective into each group and the capabilities of reaching back to countries where help was much needed.  She was given a chance to visit Tanzania and help construct a school for orphans and spend time with refugees in the Jordan.

“Both experiences showed me that girls who have potential will not be able to achieve their dreams and I wanted to help,” said Hesterman.

Living in Qatar as a dependent has granted Hesterman options which she took full advantage of.  One main reason is through the Command Sponsorship Program (CSP).  Her father, Lt. General John W. Hesterman, commander U.S. Air Force Central Command, arrived to Qatar in 2013, making the Hestermans part of only a handful of families living in the local area.  Living abroad in a new country can be challenging and sometimes difficult to adapt for some military children. Through the CSP, Hesterman has made great friends and produced even greater accomplishments.

“I really like living in Qatar,” said Hesterman. “I’ve been able to meet and become friends with Qataris and experience their amazing culture.  Also, many of my friends are Palestinian, Syrian and other nationalities that I may not have met unless living in the Middle East.  Some of my biggest challenges are being so far away from family and friends in the states, but we easily keep in touch through social media and phone calls.” 

Making these sacrifices and learning what it means to be a military child is what has driven Hesterman these past few years.  Being awarded Military Child of the year has helped plant the seed of a future leader.

“This is the life of the military child - but we are resilient, make friends and settle in quickly and experience everything the new location has to offer.  I will miss my friends in Qatar, but I am not worried about moving again.”

Sarah plans on attending law school, and to eventually work for United Nation Women. In the near future she plans on standing up a nonprofit organization to provide education to women and girls in war torn countries.

“I remember them and want to make the world a better place for the next generation of girls in these conflict and poverty torn areas.”