The Military Family Try-it/Badge
Yokosuka OC, Japan
1. OpSec – Operational Security is very important in the military.
What is the purpose of OpSec? How do military families practice
OpSec? How can you practice it at school and while out in the
community? Make a poster or play about how and why Operational
Security is important. Or invite a security officer to a meeting to
discuss OpSec.
2. Family Support – Military communities offer many support programs
to help with living in the military. Visit your Family Support
Center. What programs do they offer for children? How could they
help if someone was being hurt either physically or mentally?
Visit your Family Support Center and do one of the following:
1. List and describe 5 services the Family Service Center
provides on your base.
2. Volunteer 1 hour at the your Family Service Center office
3. Volunteer at a FSC Event
4. Meet 3 people and describe what they do
5. Decorate the FSC Bulletin Board
3. Moving- One of the biggest challenges of military life is moving
from place to place. Sponsorship is helping a military person or
family who is moving into an unit
. Many times a command appoints a
sponsor. If your family must sponsor an incoming family ask your
parents if you can help. You could write a letter about your school
or what activities you have participated in at your Community
Center. You could make a scrap book of places you have been. Or
ask your Family Service Center about a "Kids" Sponsorship program.
If possible, become a youth sponsor.
4. Deployments are one of the hardest issues for families,
especially children. Many deployments are filled with nervousness
and are confusing for young children. It can help to write or draw
how you feel. Keep a written or picture "diary" of how you feel by
making an entry as often as possible.
Project: Make a holiday greeting card for a deployed sailor or
soldier.
5. Whether by land, sea or air Military personnel protect
individuals everyday. If you can, tour a military craft. It could
be a ship, aircraft or armored vehicle. Find out how they are
used. Do they help in humanitarian efforts?
6. A Non-Combatant Evacuation Order (NEO) Drill is held annually at
many bases. Find out what a NEO Drill is for. What should go in
your NEO pack? What could you have prepared in advance for the
drill.
7. The American Red Cross helps service members all over the
world. It teaches First Aid and CPR classes. Ask your Troop First
Aider who taught her/his first aid skills. The Red Cross also lets
service members know about emergencies and happy events too. Find
out the steps to sending a Red Cross message.
8. "Freedom isn't free" is a phrase we hear often. As a military
family, it may mean a mom or a dad being gone on deployment or
having to spend a birthday without a parent because of duty. With
your troop or an adult discuss what this means to you. Invite a
veteran or military member to speak to your troop. What does he/she
think it means? Is it the same or different from what you thought?
Make a picture, poster or collage from magazine photos that show
what freedom means to you or have your troop make patriotic ribbons
or small craft in support of our military and give them to people at
a public event.
9. Most commands have a spouse liaison. This person may be called
an Ombudsman or Key Volunteer. She/He works to represent both the
military families and the command. Find out who your ombudsman is---
you may have more than one. What might she/he be able to do if
there was an emergency in a family?
10. Most military family children receive an official ID card at the
age of ten. What privileges does this card give the holder? What
responsibilities does the holder of the card have? Discuss with your
troop these privileges and responsibilities. How might you lose
your card privileges?