Today’s mission: Operation Hero

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Megan M. Ward
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  It all started with a phone call. 

More than 200 children and their parents were told to pack their bags and report to Hoban Hall. 

The mission: Operation Hero. 

Hosted by 2d Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center, Operation Hero is a program designed to give military children the opportunity to see first hand what their parents go through for a deployment. The faux pre-deployment consists of a series of briefings and processing a mock mobility line. 

"A lot of kids, they just don't understand," said Tech. Sgt. Steven Phillips, Airman and Family Readiness Center noncommissioned officer in charge. "All they know is that mom or dad is packing their bags and getting ready to leave and they don't know why. So maybe at a process like this, if we can help [even a few] kids understand the process, help them deal with it as their parent is deployed, that's our main goal...that's what we're here for." 

The day started with an early morning recall for the children, giving them 30 minutes to report to Hoban Hall for deployment to Base X. Upon arrival, they received an Operation Hero T-shirt and an identification card with their picture on it. 

After checking in, Col. Robert Wheeler, 2d Bomb Wing commander, gave the children their mission brief and encouraged them to speak up if they had any questions. 

"The objective here is to show that (deploying is) not some great mystery," he said. "We're here to show that these processes are setup and are done to protect their mom and dad and prepare them for their job when they go forward and deploy." 

Other wing agencies provided briefings to the children about their deployed locations. The briefers talked about local cultures and what they could expect when deploying to those places. 

The kids were separated into different chalks and started processing the mobility line. With their deployment folder in tow they carried a copy of orders, dog tags and a completion certificate. As they went through the processing line, members of various agencies on base checked the folders for all necessary information the same way they do in a real-world deployment scenario. 

"I decided to come today to show my daughter what it takes for her father to go out and deploy," said Natalie Leaver, wife of Capt. Donald Leaver, 8th Air Force Intelligence, Readiness and Training chief, and mother of 7-year-old Madison. "They did a really good job of showing her what he has to go through to do the whole process of deploying .... it was just an opportunity to show her exactly what he experiences." 

"I love the Air Force and my daddy who works in the Air Force and maybe someday I can be in the Air Force with my daddy," added Madison. 

Additionally, Capt. Leaver said the operation reinforces the fact the Air Force cares about its Airmen which "boosts the morale of Airmen who have to leave on a continuous basis" because they know "we're taking care of their families." 

It took months of planning, many volunteer hours and a massive group effort by the base to pull off Operation Hero. 

"The only way this is possible is with a lot of help and a lot of effort from other agencies on base," said Sergeant Phillips. "One person cannot do it by himself, it's a wing thing. All the different agencies around help out, they're very good about it, they enjoy doing it, and they also get a chance to educate the kids in their area of expertise." 

While there wasn't training and immunization records to check, the volunteers on the line had plenty of treats for the kids to keep their spirits up and moving through the line. 

One of the most popular stops was the weapons area. The 2d Security Forces Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Flight came out in full force to give the children an idea of what type of weapons their parents may use when they deploy. 

The 2d Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management Flight was present with their gas masks, chemical suits and helmets. 

After the chalks processed through the mobility line, the kids had the opportunity to practice saluting and facing movements courtesy of the Barksdale Honor Guard. Then it was off to the outdoors to check out static displays of an A-10 and B-52 followed by a visit to see what security forces and 2d Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight had to offer. 

"I think Operation Hero is a great chance for all the military kids to learn what their parents do before they get deployed," said 14-year-old recruit Steven Griego, son of Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander Lt Col Manuel Griego. "They get to see all the processing and all the pre-planning they do before they finally leave off for overseas." 

The event ended with a K-9 demonstration by the 2d Security Forces Squadron and boxed lunches handed out as the children were leaving. 

"(The) bottom line to it is the Air Force, especially at the base level, is a family," said Col. Wheeler. "That family's coming together to prepare the whole team for deployment so that when the deployed member goes, the stress on the member and their children is reduced markedly, so that the person can focus on operations forward and keeping him or her safe."

Operation Hero is designed to be a family event, and as Colonel Wheeler said, there's no family like the Air Force family.