Young Sabers process children's PDF line

Children from the Spangdahlem and Bitburg elementary schools tour a U.S. Air Force C-5 Galaxy cargo aircraft at the 726th Air Mobility Squadron during Children’s Deployment Day March 28, 2013. More than 600 students participated in the three-day event hosted by the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron. Numerous wing agencies came together at the 52nd LRS Installation Deployment Readiness Cell to show the students the process their parents go through when preparing for deployments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gustavo Castillo/Released)

Young Sabers process children’s PDF line

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany — Spangdahlem and Bitburg elementary school students process through a Personnel Deployment Function (PDF) line at the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron Installation Deployment Readiness Cell as part of a Children’s Deployment Day, March 29, 2013, at Spangdahlem Air Base. More than 600 children received briefings from various 52nd Fighter Wing agencies, to include the 52nd Security Force Squadron K-9 unit, viewed numerous vehicles supplied by the 52nd LRS and toured a C-17 U.S. Air Force Globemaster III cargo aircraft at the 726th Air Mobility Squadron. The Children’s Deployment Day was held to help children learn the process their parents go through when preparing for deployments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kenya Shiloh/Released)

Young Sabers process children’s PDF line

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany — Aiden Brittian, son of Elmira and U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. James Brittan, 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron from Nacogdoches, Texas, tries on body armor during a Children’s Deployment Day event at the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, Installation Deployment Readiness Cell March 29, 2013, at Spangdahlem Air Base. More than 600 children from the Spangdahlem and Bitburg elementary schools attended the three-day event to learn what their parents go through when preparing for deployments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kenya Shiloh/Released)

Young Sabers process children’s PDF line

Published April 3, 2013
By Tech. Sgt. Kenya Shiloh
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- More than 600 Spangdahlem and Bitburg elementary school students processed through a personnel deployment function line at the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron as part of a Children's Deployment Day March 27-29, 2013.

During this three-day event, children explored various vehicles provided by the 52nd LRS and tried on chemical masks, helmets, vests and gear issued to parents before they deploy. They also toured a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft and were visited by several agencies, to include the 52nd Security Forces Squadron K-9 unit, on what they do to help parents get ready for deployment.

"This is pretty cool!" said 8-year-old Aiden Brittain, son of Elmira and Tech. Sgt. James Brittan, 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron from Nacogdoches, Texas. "Now I understand what my dad goes through when he deploys. I'm having a good time."

According to 2nd Lt. Peter Daigle, 52nd LRS Assistant Installation Deployment Officer from Durham, N.H., the purpose of having an event of this magnitude is to help military children gain a better understanding of what their parents go through when they deploy.

"Having this event makes it more tangible, because our units can be tasked to deploy at any given time," Daigle said. "It felt like really good timing from our leadership's perspective to let the kids experience what it's like to go through a deployment line so they could at least get what daddy and mommy do when they go away from me for a little while."

Bitburg Elementary School third-grade teacher Lahoma Hendrix from Benton Harbor, Mich., said she thought this is a great idea because the children get to understand the whole process.

"Sometimes we don't explain to them what we're doing," Hendrix said. "Sometimes they have questions but are afraid to ask, so this allows them the opportunity to ask questions to give them a little bit more peace."

The 52nd Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center runs a program similar to what the 52nd LRS hosted. The program, called K.U.D.O.S. or Kids Understanding Deployment Operations, allows children to immerse themselves in the deployment process by participating in activities such as going through a mobility line, receiving a commander's briefing, viewing weapons displays, trying on chemical gear and running through an obstacle course.

"This is something that would definitely help the wing, and our kids understand more of what we as military members do," Daigle said. "Our intention was to make sure the kids were happy and had fun. It was wicked cool!"