Legion Presentation

Military Kids in Our Own Backyards

Washington State Operation: Military Kids

Operation: Military Kids National Initiative

• Designed to provide support to children/youth of Army National Guard and Reserve families that are impacted by the global war on terrorism that are geographically dispersed.

• Supported by grant funds provided by USDA / Army Youth Development Project

• Educating citizens in states about facts & challenges of military life & involving youth in affected communities


• Guiding Principles:– Partnerships and joint commitment at the

federal, state and local level are critical; Rapid response to the issues is necessary to affect change; Youth’s best interests are paramount; Programs must be replicable; Programs must be sustainable.

• 50 States currently involved in national initiative


• Program Components– Building Infrastructure - Identify target audiences,

needs, partners & resources; Establish communication; Market program

– Implementing Educational Outcomes – Educating community & providing direct support services (i.e. “Speak out for Military Kids”; Connecting with deployed parents; Working w/ media; Linkages to community services)

– Providing Training on “Supporting the Children of Those Who Serve in the National Guard & Reserve” – Topics include understanding military culture & deployment; Issues & insights for families/youth; School/community responses to foster resilience; Creating action plans to provide support

Washington State Operation Military Kids

• Mission: “Reaching out to military youth . . . before, during and after their loved ones are deployed.”

• Project Components – – Assist local communities in creating support networks for

military youth “in their own back yard” when Soldier parents are deployed

– Educate public on impact of deployment cycle on Soldiers, families, youth, schools & community

– Collaborate with schools to ensure staff are attuned and can support the unique needs of military students

– Become part of on-going 4-H Programs in locations where there are military families

– Deliver direct service educational, recreational & social programs for youth living in civilian communities

County/State 4-HExtension

Professionals

Joint Family SupportAssistance Program

RepresentativeCommunity

Volunteer Partners

YouthRegional & Local

Boys & Girls Club Professionals

School Personnel

National Guard andAir Reserve

Component Staff

Military InstallationCYS Staff

OMK State Team*

*4-H State Military Liaisons serve as OMK State Team Leaders

OMK State Team------------------------------

The AmericanLegion

Representative

OMK Roles and Responsibilities:

• Create Statewide OMK Community Support Networks

• Provide OMK Ready, Set, Go! Course to State OMK Partners

• Coordinate delivery of “Speak Out for Military Kids” OMK Speakers Bureau

• Coordinate Hero Pack Project

OMK State Team

------------------------------

OMK State Team

------------------------------• Deliver youth outreach service programs through Partner Organizations

• Conduct Operation Boots On and Boots Off experiences for youth

• Coordinate Partner use of the OMK Mobile Technology Lab(s)

• Submit monthly OMK and year-end accomplishment reports to OMK Management Team

OMK State Teams

OMK State Wide Support Network

------------------------------

OMKLocal CommunitySupport Network





OMK Local CommunitySupport Network

-------------------------------

Schools

VeteransOrganizations

Local MilitaryComponents

Faith BasedOrganizations

B&GCA

PrivateOrganizations

4-H

Civic Groups

Others?

Youth ServingAgencies/Organizations

Local Businesses

4-H Professional

Family ReadinessGroup Leader

School GuidanceCounselor

American Legion &Auxiliary Representative

OMK success is when multiple organizations come together to provide support to military children and youth in a local

community.

OMK Local CommunitySupport Network

-------------------------------

• Each stage characterized by a timeframe and specific emotional challenges• Failure to adequately negotiate can lead to significant strife• Promoting understanding of deployment helps avert crisis and need for intervention/mental health counseling• Five distinct stages— — Stage One: Pre-deployment — Stage Two: Deployment — Stage Three: Sustainment — Stage Four: Re-deployment — Stage Five: Post-deployment

The Emotional Cycle of

Military children and youth are vulnerable during major life changes, such as:

• Moving due to permanent change of station

• Parent absence due to long-term temporary duty

• Mobilization and deployment

• Changes in family demographics

• Graduating to junior/high school/post-secondary education

• Individual responses vary based on age, maturity, gender, personality, relationships, and coping skills

• OMK State Teams can ease transitionswith awareness and preplanning

Youth Transition Issues-------------------------------

• Adjusting to new or temporary family configuration

• Managing new situations, especially being “suddenly military”

• Accommodating physical changes

• Making new contacts

• Acclimating to new places

• Coping with changing schools, leagues, activities

Social Issues & Needs

Reorienting to new classmates, teachers, schedules, and inconsistencies in school requirements and offerings, e.g.,

• Immunization requirements• School calendars/scheduling• Entrance and exit testing• Course content and sequencing• Discipline• Graduation requirements• Special Education qualification and

services• Records/credit transfers• Informing teachers, counselors, and administrators about deployment and its impact on youth

Educational Issues & Needs

• Shock/surprise for Service Members & Family members• Anticipation of loss vs. denial• Train up/long hours away• Getting affairs in order• Mental/physical distance• Stress/arguments• Timeframe: Variable

Stage One: Pre-Deployment

Deployment and the Community

Blanket Activity

• Mixed emotions—grief and loss combined with relief

• Disoriented/overwhelmed

• Numb, sad, alone/lonely, feelings of abandonment

• Sleep difficulties

• Security issues

• Frequent communication helps all cope

• Timeframe: Approximately first month, potentially more

State Two: Deployment

• Separation anxiety• New routines established• New sources of support• Feel more in control—Able to cope• Independence• Confidence—”I can do this”• Phone contact unidirectional—initiated by spouse; may lead to feeling trapped as may miss call• Timeframe: Approximately months 2 through 18

Stage Three: Sustainment

• Anticipation of homecoming• Excitement• Apprehension—“Will I have to give up my independence”?• Burst of energy; “nesting”• Difficulty making decisions• Time frame: Months 17–18

Stage Four: Re-Deployment

• Honeymoon period• Loss of independence• Need for “own” space• Renegotiating routines• Reintegrating into family• Most important stage to get to know one another again— patient communication, going slow, and lower expectations are key• Timeframe: 3–6 months or more after deployment

Stage Five: Post Deployment

Adjusting to Reunion and Reintegration Activity

• Fosters maturity• Growth inducing• Encourages independence• Encourages flexibility, adaptability• Builds skills for adjusting to separation and losses faced later in life• Strengthens family bonds• Civics—relationship with community• What other strengths may result from deployment?

Strengths for Youth Resulting From Deployment

• Ready, Set, Go! Training Manual

• Speak Out for Military Kids

• Hero Pack Project

• Mobile Technology Labs

• Educational/Recreational Activities

Operation: Military Kids Core Program Components ------------------------------

Ready, Set, Go! Training Contents------------------------------

• Chapter 1: Introduction to Ready, Set, Go!• Chapter 2: A New Reality: Impact of the Global War on

Terrorism• Chapter 3: Operation: Military Kids—An Overview and

Framework for Implementation• Chapter 4: Exploring Military Culture• Chapter 5: The Deployment Cycle: Mobilization and Deployment• Chapter 6: The Deployment Cycle: Homecoming and

Reintegration• Chapter 7: Stress and Coping Strategies• Chapter 8: Impact of Grief, Loss, and Trauma• Chapter 9: Fostering Resilience in Children and Youth• Chapter 10: Understanding the Influence of the Media• Chapter 11: Building Community Capacity To Take Action• Chapter 12: Next Steps• Chapter 13: Additional Resources and Best Practices

Ready, Set, Go! Chapter Framework

------------------------------• Lesson Plan—includes purpose, training objectives,

timeframe, and preparation/materials and activities

• Training PowerPoint Content—includes slides, materials needed, trainer tips, and “What to Do/What to Say” sections for trainers. Discussion and hands-on activities will help participants understand the topics presented

• “Must-Read” Background Material—to increase knowledge of trainers regarding topics presented

• Evaluation—suggested reflection and application questions to measure impact and application of group understanding

The Program:• Common program initiative for all OMK States• Program raises community awareness of issues faced by geographically dispersed military children and youth• SOMK is a youth-led program facilitated and supported by adults• Youth participants are both civilian and military connected youth• SOMK is a community service project that builds awareness and fosters community support

Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK)

Outcomes:

• Participants create a Speakers Bureau and presentations, then deliver informative briefings to a variety of audiences throughout the state.

• Youth gain knowledge and skills in developing creative and informative presentations in a variety of different media.

• Youth learn about the military lifestyle and culture, and gain empathy for issues that confront military families.


Resources:

• OMK Ready, Set, Go! Training Manual

• Speak Out For Military Kids Manual

• OMK Core Partners

• Military Points of Contact


• Outreach effort of Operation: Military Kids (OMK)

• Salute to Military Children for their strength and sacrifices made while a parent is deployed

• Combined effort of all National OMK Partners

• Community Service Project that builds awareness and fosters community support for geographically isolated Military Families

•Connect Military Youth with local support programs (BGCA Program, 4-H Clubs, etc.)

•Young Hero Packs for preschool and primary age children; regular Hero Packs for elementary and middle school youth

•Stateside support for units in Europe

Hero Pack Project

• A Hero Pack is a age-appropriate backpack that contains fun and educational material for the Youth and informational material for Parents

• Each National OMK partner provides a variety of program items

• Our goal is to provide material and activities to keep Youth and deployed Parent connected

What is a Hero Pack?

• Youth assemble Hero Packs and write letters of support to the families to include in the backpack

• OMK State Teams find local donations to supplement Hero Pack items provided by National OMK Partners

• Hero Packs are distributed to deserving Military Children impacted by deployment

Hero Pack Implementation

Mobile Technology Labs

Mobile Technology LabsHARDWARE SOFTWARE10 Dell Latitude D620 10 Microsoft Office 2003 Professional

Intel Core Duo processor 10 Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.01GB RAM 10 Adobe (Macromedia) Flash 8Windows XP Professional- w/ sp2 10 Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0WXGA+ (1440x900 resolution) 10 Riverdeep KidPix Deluxe 480 GB HDD 10 Hallmark Card Studio 2006Gigabit Ethernet adapterDell Wireless 1490 802.11a/g

Dual-Band Mini Cards There are additional open source (free)8X DVD+/-RW free-to-download and system titles thatFloppy Disk Drive will be installed during the imaging

2 Cannon ZR600 miniDVD Camcorder process:2 Dell All-in-one Printer 926 Audacity – audio editing software2 Cannon PowerShot SD600 Quicktime – Video/Audio playback2 Linksys 54g Wifi Router AVG Antivirus (free version)4 Plantronics USB Headset w/ boom mic2 5-6 outlet AC power strip w/ surge protector2 25-pack blank CD-RW disks2 25-pack blank DVD-R disks2 25-ft spools AC extension cords

Other WA OMK Activities

• Babysitting Classes• Camps• Yellow Ribbon Activities• Robotics/Computer Classes• Boots On/Boots Off• Other ideas?

What Can We Do?

Washington State Operation Military Kids Project:

• Darleen Munson, WA OMK Coordinator (253) 445-4557 [email protected]

• Kevin Wright, WSU Extension, 4-H State Programs Manager, (253) 445-4612, [email protected]

• Mona Johnson, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, (360) 725-6050, [email protected]

• Robbin Seeberger, Washington State National Guard Youth Program Coordinator, (253)512-7985, [email protected]

• Mary Thomas, Wing Family Program Coordinator (509) 247-7009 [email protected]

• Brian Sokolowsky, Regional Coordinator U.S. Army Reserve (360) 906-4190 [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]






Documents

Legion Presentation