Operation Purple Camp
YMCA Camp Surf, 2800 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 250, Alexandria, VA 22314
About
Operation Purple Camp offers a free weeklong summer camp experience that includes activities such as ziplining, ropes courses, swimming, kayaking, paddling, arts and crafts, creative STEM activities, gaga ball, field sports, and group games. Camp traditions at Operation Purple Camp include the Wall of Honor and flag ceremonies. The camp is exclusively for military-connected children and includes a curriculum that focuses on intentional skill-building and connection to other kids with military life experiences.
• Ages: 6–17 years old
• Schedule: FREE weeklong summer camp experiences
• Price: Operation Purple Camp provides FREE weeklong summer camp experiences across the country; Operation Purple Camp is described as a free week of camp where military kids connect with each other and have fun
Operation Purple Camp is hosted by the National Military Family Association (NMFA), which states that Military Kids Serve Too®. NMFA enhances the traditional camp experience with a curriculum that focuses on intentional skill-building and connection to other kids with military life experiences, and connects campers and families to additional resources such as support from mental health professionals to improve their well-being while at camp and provide a framework for ongoing support long after the camp experience has ended. Operation Purple Camp is grounded in 57 years of expertise supporting the military family experience and over two decades of insight into the life-changing power of camp, and it was founded in 2004. The program is powered in part by Wounded Warrior Project to honor and empower post-9/11 injured service members, veterans, and their families. Operation Purple Summer Challenge is a virtual experience designed for military families worldwide. Purple is the color used in the program’s name because it represents military children and is the color created by combining Marine Corps red, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, and Space Force blue, and a bit of Army green. Operation Purple Camp is described as a powerful, joy-filled experience that helps campers grow, connect, and thrive and is underway across the country, bringing military kids together for a summer of adventure, friendship, and belonging.
The National Military Family Association holds a Charity Navigator 4-star rating. The Association holds an “A-” rating from CharityWatch in one section and an “A” rating from CharityWatch in another section. It meets all 20 of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance standards for Charity Accountability. The Association ranks at the “Platinum” level on GuideStar and has a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency.
Last updated July 17, 2026.
• Ages: 6–17 years old
• Schedule: FREE weeklong summer camp experiences
• Price: Operation Purple Camp provides FREE weeklong summer camp experiences across the country; Operation Purple Camp is described as a free week of camp where military kids connect with each other and have fun
Operation Purple Camp is hosted by the National Military Family Association (NMFA), which states that Military Kids Serve Too®. NMFA enhances the traditional camp experience with a curriculum that focuses on intentional skill-building and connection to other kids with military life experiences, and connects campers and families to additional resources such as support from mental health professionals to improve their well-being while at camp and provide a framework for ongoing support long after the camp experience has ended. Operation Purple Camp is grounded in 57 years of expertise supporting the military family experience and over two decades of insight into the life-changing power of camp, and it was founded in 2004. The program is powered in part by Wounded Warrior Project to honor and empower post-9/11 injured service members, veterans, and their families. Operation Purple Summer Challenge is a virtual experience designed for military families worldwide. Purple is the color used in the program’s name because it represents military children and is the color created by combining Marine Corps red, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, and Space Force blue, and a bit of Army green. Operation Purple Camp is described as a powerful, joy-filled experience that helps campers grow, connect, and thrive and is underway across the country, bringing military kids together for a summer of adventure, friendship, and belonging.
The National Military Family Association holds a Charity Navigator 4-star rating. The Association holds an “A-” rating from CharityWatch in one section and an “A” rating from CharityWatch in another section. It meets all 20 of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance standards for Charity Accountability. The Association ranks at the “Platinum” level on GuideStar and has a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency.
Last updated July 17, 2026.
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