KUDOS

Ava and Amber Chambliss, daughters of U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Joshua Chambliss 19th Security Forces First Sergeant, participate in a mock pre-deployment line early in the morning at a hangar on the flightline, April 9, 2016, on Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. The girls were part of the Kids Understanding Deployment Operations experience, an event geared at explaining deployment procedures to children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Amn Grace Nichols)

KUDOS

Patrick Griego paints the face of a volunteer during a camouflage face -painting activity as part of a mock deployment line, April 9, 2016, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. The camouflage face painting was one of many activities during the Kids Understanding Deployment Operations experience, an event geared toward explaining deployment procedures to children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Amn Grace Nichols)

KUDOS

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Randy Oczkowski, 19th Operation Support Squadron Air Traffic Controller, gets his face painted by Lily (left), Henry (bottom middle), and Patrick Griego (right), during a camouflage face painting activity as part of a mock deployment line, April 9, 2016, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. The camouflage face painting station was one of the many activities available during the Kids Understanding Deployment Operations experience, an event geared toward explaining deployment procedures to children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Grace Nichols)

KUDOS

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Torin Davis, 19th Aircraft Maintenance squadron, shows Emelyn Spillman the results of a camouflage face painting activity at the Kids Understanding Deployment Operations experience, April 9, 2016, on Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. The camouflage face painting station was one of many activities during KUDOS, an event geared toward explaining deployment procedures to children. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Grace Nichols)

Kids and parents report for duty

Published April 14, 2016
By Airman Grace Nichols
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The Airman & Family Readiness Center sponsored its fifth annual Kids Understanding Deployment Operations event April 9, 2016, at Little Rock Air Force Base.

KUDOS is kid friend way for military children to experience the deployment processes their parents go through each time they head down range. The event also helps lessen anxiety that children may have during a parent's deployment.

Approximately 275 members of Team Little Rock participated in the event with multiple squadrons setting up booths demonstrating Air Force deployment operations to military children.

"When children better understand why their parents have to deploy, it can reduce stress put on families before, during and after deployment operations," said Wayne Ojala, an A&FRC Community Readiness consultant. "KUDOS can be a force multiplier when military members are less worried about their loved ones and more focused on their mission."

The event displayed various duties service members perform during a deployment. Chapel, finance, medical group, legal office and A&FRC representatives ushered the children through an age appropriate version of a deployment processing checklist. Children also toured the inside of a C-130 J and operated an explosive ordnance disposal robot.

KUDOS "deployers" perfected their aim at a mock-firing range and participated in other activities like mock-camouflage face painting, some of them even painting the faces of the volunteers to help them get in the spirit of the event.

"Sometimes it's hard to determine who has the most fun; the kids, the parents or the volunteers," said Sharon Thompson, A&FRC chief.

"The event is important because it gives us a chance to talk about deployment to children in way that allows them to see what their parents experience and to remove the fear or lessen the stress they feel when a parent deploys," Thompson said. "It makes it easier for both the child and the parent when there is a certain level of understanding and what deployment means."

Volunteers also gained insight from the event.

"Both U.S. Air Force Airmen and non-commissioned officers came here to volunteer and brought their own families," said Master Sgt. Scott Shields, KUDOS volunteer. "I think it was a great event and I'm proud of everyone who volunteered."