Children from military families participated in a mock deployment exercise today during the fourth annual KUDOS event at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The program, which stands for Kids Understanding Deployment Operations, allows children to experience what it is like to prepare for a mission overseas.
The event is designed to reduce anxiety and support overall military family readiness. By participating in various stations, children gain a deeper understanding of the operations their parents perform while deployed.
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The exercise centered on a mock mission to the nation of Pacifica. In the scenario, participants were told the country was expecting a massive storm to sweep through its villages. The United States Air Force was then called to assist with the response.
Children visited multiple stations to test their preparedness for the mission. The event included physical fitness challenges, a security forces station, and a demonstration involving explosives. Participants also had the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a C-17 aircraft.
Benjamin Duck, a readiness NCO at the Military and Family Readiness Center, helped facilitate the event. Duck noted that the hands-on nature of the displays appeals to the young participants. "They love airplanes and ambulances and all of the things, so I think they're really gonna appreciate it," Duck said.
Duck's two daughters were among those attending the event. He said that in his previous military roles, he spent a significant amount of time traveling and away from home. "Before this position, Daddy was gone a lot, right?
A lot of traveling, and now that I have this role and I get to help out other families, they get to come to these events, so they think daddy has all the fun toys and there's always good food, so they love this," Duck said.
The program serves as a way for military members to include their families in their overseas missions. Duck explained that while parents choose to serve in the military, the children often feel the impact of that service the most. "Parents signed up for this, right?
They're doing the job that they signed up for, and they love it.
The kids and the families at home are the ones who are sad and kind of missing out, so it's awesome to be able to honor them," Duck said.
At the end of the day, the children received official certifications to deploy. Base officials stated they hope the experience helps support military families by addressing the emotional challenges associated with military service.
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