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Opearation Military Kids hosting camp for Walker, Jefferson children

Courtesy of North Jefferson News:

It is difficult for the families of military personnel to have their loved one deployed overseas for extended periods of time, and it is especially trying on the youngest members of the family who may not completely understand the situation.

Operation Military Kids, a national program administered through the 4-H club, aims to help kids deal with these specific challenges. Friday, the organization is hosting a Summer Fun Day at Oak Mountain State Park for the children of military families from Jefferson and Walker counties.

The program provides educational programs to help kids understand the challenges of having their parent, older sibling, aunt or uncle serving far away. By bringing the kids together for the day, they will be introduced to 4-H activities available in the area, and get a chance to connect with other military families. Kids will go on a wildlife and nature hike, hula hoop, play badminton, volleyball and build sandcastles.

The camp runs from 9:30 a.m. till 4:30 p.m.

We’re standing by for Ft. Hood

Please keep the loved ones of those killed in the Ft. Hood shootings today in your thoughts and prayers!

Posted to Facebook earlier today:

Collecting cards and NEW stuffed animals for the families and children of the fallen/wounded heroes. Please send cards and stuffed animals/blankets/anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child to:

Soldiers’ Angels Warehouse
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

WE WILL FOCUS on the HOLIDAY OUTREACH as a major push. More details ShelleMichaels@SoldiersAngels.org

Family sees benefits from joining Sea Cadets

Courtesy of this week’s North Jefferson News:

Stephen Duncan probably did not know that his enlistment in the U.S. Navy was going to inspire almost his whole family to join a version of the military.

But it did just that when the Hayden family traveled to Great Lakes, Ill., to see Duncan, now 24, graduate from boot camp.

“We saw kids in their dress whites when we went to Great Lakes,” said Karla Duncan. That was her family’s first exposure to the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

The Sea Cadets program is for children ages 14-17 and is one of the closest things to the military that kids can join.

Mark and Karla’s three youngest children — Seaman Apprentice Joshua Duncan, 16; Seaman Apprentice Micah Duncan, 14; and Apprentice Cadet AnnaMarie Duncan, 12 — all joined the Valor Division unit of the Sea Cadets in the past year.

The Valor Division, which recently moved from Leeds to Trussville, also includes Navy League Cadets for kids ages 11-13.

In August, the parents got involved by becoming instructors in the Valor Division. Mark is the unit’s public affairs specialist, while Karla handles supply.

Lt. JG Kenneth Youngblood is the commanding officer.

Mark Duncan said he decided to get involved partly because the unit needed help and also because he wanted to contribute.

“You wake up one day and realize you’re 46 and you wonder, ‘What have I done?’”, he said.

He and his wife believe wholeheartedly in the program. They say it has changed them and their kids for the better.

Their involvement has inspired Mark and Karla to lose a total of 53 pounds since August. The Sea Cadets enforce the same height and weight restrictions as the U.S. Navy, so the couple could not wear the Sea Cadets uniform until they met those standards.

As for the kids, the Duncans hardly recognize their children when the family goes to drill every month.

“They walk differently, they carry themselves differently,” Mark said. “When they’re in uniform, they’re so patriotic and eager to help. They just transform.”

The Duncans said the Sea Cadets is not for the faint of heart.

“It is just like being in the military,” Karla said. “If they forget part of their uniform, they do the push-ups, not their parents. They’re learning responsibility.”

The unit drills every month. Cadets learn marching and facing movements and military courtesy such as saluting.

They also have opportunities to earn awards, ribbons and advance their rank.

“They don’t hand them out like candy,” said Mark. “You really have to earn them.” The Duncan children have earned six ribbons each.

Cadets are required to live up to the unit motto of “Honor, Courage and Commitment.”

Cadets have numerous options to train with actual military units in fields such as SEAL training, scuba school, photojournalism, naval intelligence, marksmanship training, mine warfare ops, JAG legal training, aviation flight training and more.

Mark and Karla Duncan are thrilled with the way Sea Cadets is shaping their family.

“We love it,” said Karla. “This is one of the best things that has happened to our family.”

Wow, congratulations to the Duncans!!

Kids love ink pens

This morning I received an email from Caren Vink at Soldiers’ Angels HQ:

It seems that the kids in Afghanistan and Iraq want nothing more than a ink pen. A pen to a child in Afghanistan and Iraq is like a scholarship to these children. They desperately want to learn but,
without a pen, they simply won’t.

Will you help a child with their dream of owning their very first ink pen? Trust me, freedom to write is a very big deal. Anyone interested in helping these poor children would be simply wonderful.

The pens don’t have to be new but still in good condition. Clean out your junk drawer, everyone has extra pens. Ask your local businesses, banks, stores, if they would donate pens. Dollar Stores are a great place to find great deals on pens.

When our men and women in uniform give a child a pen or other school supplies, they are helping these countries by befriending the younger generation who in years to come will view the military as friends. Hopefully when they get older they will help us help their country.

If you can add, some spiral notebooks or pads of paper would be nice to toss in the package, too.

Thank you very much!

Caren Vink

If you would like to help out, please send supplies to our SA Warehouse at this address:

Soldiers’ Angels
112 Greenhill Road
Ramseur, NC 27316

Send personalized cards to military moms overseas

Via Shelle Michaels at Wingtip 2 Wingtip, Recordable Cards with Music from Hallmark are being released in time for Mother’s Day. These cards allow the sender to add a personalized voice message, which is followed by a prerecorded song. You can tell Mom exactly how you feel with the sound of your voice and a song.

Per Jon Gray:

Hallmark has launched for military moms overseas. They’re partnering with the military to help children at four military installations mail their recorded messages of love and support this Mother’s Day through the donation of the new Hallmark Recordable Cards With Music. Many of these women have been away for as long as 15 months at a time. Events will be held at four installations experiencing high rates of deployment — Ft. Bliss, Ft. Riley, Ft. Campbell, and Ft. Stewart. Hallmark is hosting the events to give children a chance to personalize and mail their cards in time for them to arrive on Mother’s Day, May 11. Of course, these cards can’t replace the joy of seeing their child face-to-face, but hopefully they will be away for them to connect across the miles.

It’s a great idea! Visit the Hallmark site for a demo: www.hallmark.com/addyourvoice

Get your kids involved!

My daughter loves drawing pictures for my soldier and his platoon to enjoy. I’m willing to bet that many of you out there that have young’uns do the same.

I was reading on the Soldiers’ Angels blog just now about getting kids involved by printing and coloring an adorable Family Circus cartoon.

I know I’ll be printing out several copies in the morning for my daughter and her friends to color and decorate. How about you?