Operation Hero set for Sept. 24

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Terri Barriere
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The Airman & Family Readiness Center will host Operation Hero here Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the LeMay Auditorium.

The annual event, now in its 8th year, is set-up as a child-friendly personnel deployment line, and will feature a number of activities for kids throughout the day including a weapons qualification course with paintball guns, chemical readiness preparation and a physical fitness assessment.

The base helping agencies will also be on hand to pass out goodies and answer questions.

"We're setting up a mock deployment line, but we have to keep it kid-friendly, fun and exciting for them or else they'll get bored," Tech. Sgt. Christopher Deane, Operation Hero event coordinator.

Deane said though most of the day's activities are those military members would actually find in a real deployment line, some things were added to show the children all the things that actually go into helping their parents get out the door for a deployment.

"Operation Hero gives children a sense of what parents have to do before they deploy," Deane said. "This helps them have a better understanding of what it means when a parent says they are 'out-processing' for a deployment. It also makes them feel involved. A lot of parents work long, odd hours, but this is a way of kind of involving the children in the process."

Stephanie Reyes, A&FRC director said the event also makes deployments less stressful for the children.

"The purpose of Operation Hero is to alleviate stress the children may have because their mom or dad is deploying," she said. "So by seeing the PDF line, being able to try on some of the gear or taste MREs helps them have a better understanding of what goes on when their parents deploy, and that makes it a less stressful time. Most people are scared or anxious about the unknown, but this gives them a better sense of what's happening."

Deane said it's also a great way to bring the community together.

"We've gotten a lot of really positive feedback about this event in the past, and there's already a bit of buzz about the upcoming one," he said.

With the big event only two weeks away, the A&FRC staff has been hard at work finalizing the details.

"It takes about two months to plan but it's worth all the work," Deane said. "The kids really do seem to enjoy it."

Though the last day to register is Sept. 19, Deane said they won't turn away any children on the day of the event. Children who register by the deadline will receive a set of dog tags, a picture identification card and t-shirt for free.