By Megan Wehring

BUDA — When Nyah Gray was nominated for the Military Child of the Year Award, she did not expect to become a finalist.

“I’m actually surprised that I made it this far,” Gray said. “I think it’s pretty amazing. I never realized what could come of this sort of thing.”

Experiences of military children vary. When her biological father served in the U.S. Air Force, Gray and her family moved from place to place about every two years. Gray’s...