Starting early: Children 'Deploy' to Usafastan

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Children 'Deploy' to Usafastan
May 12, 2010
Air Force Print News|by SSgt. Donald Branum

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - For about 200 members of the U.S. Air Force Academy community, started with a 7 a.m. wake-up call from the Command Center staff. By 9:30 a.m., they filled the predeployment center on the south side of the base to receive safety and cultural awareness briefings, set up allotments to their family members back home and get vaccinations. An hour later, the community members boarded one of three buses headed for Usafastan.

However, this deployment was a bit different from most in that the majority of the 200 deployers were school-age children, the vaccinations were stamps instead of shots, and Usafastan was just a few miles north in Jacks Valley.

The young troops deployed for one day in support of Operation Junior Deployer, an event put together by the Academy's 10th Force Support Squadron staff to help children understand some of the things their parents go through before and during their deployments.

During their predeployment briefing, children learned about possible health and safety hazards in Jacks Valley. They also learned a bit about Middle Eastern culture and why it's important to understand different cultures from Chaplain (Capt.) Steven Barfield, an Academy chaplain.

"When you understand (other people's) culture, you can build their trust," Chaplain Barfield said. "And when you build their trust, they become your friends, and they can help you beat the bad guys."