Honor Military Families by Voting for 2012 Military Fatherhood Award

NFI's President Roland C. Warren likes to say that we unfortunately often do the least for those who do the most for us.  The Military Fatherhood Award™is one way in which we try to rectify that by shining a spotlight on the military families who make sacrifices every day in the service of our country.

Every year, NFI invites the military community to submit nominations for military dads who demonstrate four qualities: ongoing commitment and dedication to their children, extraordinary effort to father from a distance during military separation, successfully balancing military life and family life, mentoring and strengthening other military fathers or military children who are separated from their fathers.

This year we received over 450 nominations from wives, children, family members, and colleagues.  Our panel of judges had the very difficult task of narrowing this outstanding pool of nominees down to three finalists.  Now that the three finalists have been identified, we're turning to the American public to help us choose this year's Awardee by voting on Facebook. The Award will be presented to the finalist with the most votes in a special ceremony near Father's Day held near the finalist's base.

Please take a minute to watch these three short videos created by the finalist families and cast your vote on Facebook.  I promise it will put a smile on your face to see these beautiful, happy children talk about how much they love their dads and share what their dads do to be great fathers every day.

Before you do... here's a brief introduction to our three finalists:

First Lieutenant William Edwards, U.S. Army
Currently serving at Fort Jackson, South Carolina
Father of four children

View Lt. Edwards' video and vote >>
Read Lt. Edwards' nomination >>

Senior Airman Jonathan Jackson, U.S. Air Force
Currently serving at Travis Air Force Base, California
Father of two children

View SrA Jackson's video and vote
Read SrA Jackson's nomination >>

Lieutenant Dennis Kelly, U.S. Navy
Currently serving at Camp Pendleton, California
Father of five children

View Lt. Kelly's video and vote >>
Read Lt. Kelly's nomination >>







Voting is open until May 20 and you can vote once every 24 hours, so come back every day to help your favorite finalist win.

In a day when so much attention is focused on the problems created by bad or absent fathers, we love to lift up great dads as role models and symbols of hope.  These three dads are not only great fathers, but they are serving our country while remaining committed to their wives and children.  Through them, we honor all military fathers and say "thanks" to the families who sacrifice every day for our nation.

Vote now for the 2012 Military Fatherhood Award finalists >>