Kids ready to deploy to Australia

Published Oct. 18, 2010
By Airman and Family Readiness Center
21st Force Support Squadron

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- From mock dog tags and passports to qualifying on the M-16 rubber band guns, children on Peterson Air Force Base will experience and understand the deployment process during "Operations KUDOS," organized by the Airman and Family Readiness Center, Nov. 13 at the R.P. Lee Youth Center.

Operation KUDOS - Kids Understanding Deployment Operations - is designed for children ages five to 15 to help give them an understanding of how the Air Force prepares mom or dad for military deployments.

Operation KUDOS will begin at 10 a.m. and last until 2 p.m. This year, the children will deploy in support of "Operation Tasmanian Devil" where they will mock deploy to Tasmania, Australia. This event is open to all children assigned to Peterson AFB, whether they currently have a parent deployed or not.

After in-processing and receiving their orders and passports, the children will receive their initial briefing before processing through the deployment line.

The deployment line will consist of different agencies on base such as the Military Personnel Section, the chapel, the legal office and the finance office where children will get their mock passports stamped, receive play money and receive immunizations in the form of jellybeans. There will even be camouflage makeup for those who want it.

"The purpose of Operation KUDOS is to help children understand what their parents go through while getting ready to deploy," said Tech. Sgt. Stacy Oliver, Airman and Family Readiness Center readiness non-commissioned officer. "We hope that this experience will help alleviate some of the stress they feel before their parent deploys or even help those children have a better understanding of deployments if their parents are already gone."

Children will have lunch served by the 21st Force Support Squadron Readiness Team and get to check out some Humvees from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron.

"We want to make this deployment process as realistic as possible for the children while making it loads of fun at the same time," Sergeant Oliver said. "Kids and parents can expect to have a fantastic experience during this event."

To sign up, or for more information, contact the Airman and Family Readiness Center at 556-6141.