'Operation Spirit' deploys Whiteman youth

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Bryan Crane
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  With an 8 a.m. recall, more than 90 members of Team Whiteman reported to the deployment center April 21 to prepare for their mock deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan.

The participants were not the normal "deploying" military member; instead they were school children that ranged from K-12.

"Operation Spirit is designed to educate children about what it's like for their mom or dad to go through the deployment process," said Master Sgt. Robyn Johnson, 509th Force Support Squadron Airman & Family Readiness Center readiness NCO and event coordinator.

Upon arrival at the deployment center, each child began the deployment process by receiving an Operation Spirit T-shirt to be used as their uniform of the day and military orders. The children also received dog tags with their name. Additionally, they received briefings for the day including one by Col. Robert Spalding III, 509th Bomb Wing vice commander.

Each child was divided into a separate chaulk, or group, with a chaulk commander and they assisted the children throughout the entire deployment.

"It was great to volunteer and get to see all these children so happy," said Airman 1st Class Stephanie Tornero, 509th Force Support Squadron installation personnel readiness and event volunteer. "It put a smile on my face."

Once on the flightline the children viewed Whiteman's aircraft and boarded a C-130 Hercules and received a mission brief from crew members.

After boarding the C-130 the children then "returned home" and attended an award ceremony followed by lunch provided by the USO.

After a morning of deploying the participants visited "tent city" where they viewed equipment and watched demonstrations from different base agencies to include explosive ordinance disposal, security forces, fire department and medical group.

"It helped me understand what my dad goes through when he has to leave," said Abagail, daughter of EmaLee and Master Sgt. Christopher Gish, 509th Bomb Wing public affairs superintendent.

The seventh annual Operation Spirit was geared toward children and helped them experience a "deployment" that they could understand.

"It was another success for us and the children," Johnson said. "They really enjoyed it and the volunteers did as well."