Operation Dyess Kids event a ‘huge success’

  • Published
  • By 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  More than 225 Dyess children ages 3-15 participated in a mock deployment known as Operation Dyess Kids Aug. 22. 

The "deployment" consisted of a fun version of the military processing line, a tour of the C-130 Herk, and activities such as tasting MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) and face painting. The children and their parents were then treated to a barbeque to "welcome them home" after their deployment. 

"This event was a huge success," said Master Sgt. Terry Montrose, 7th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center superintendent. "We had a lot of money and a lot of volunteers come out to help." 

In fact, 78 Airmen volunteered to help with the event and the local VFW and Communities of Abilene donated the funds necessary to carry the event to completion. 

"I'm having a great time and enjoying the people I'm working with," said Staff Sgt. Jennett, whose volunteer position was handing out "dog tags" to children who were processing. "I think it's really important to volunteer and I love working with kids, even though I don't have any of my own," he said. 

The purpose of Operation Dyess Kids is to help the children understand why parents deploy and what the parents go through during a deployment, as well as to encourage parent-child communication. The program aims to ease some of the tension that children have about their parent's deployments, which allows the deployers to focus on the mission.