For more information about Operation: Military Kids in Texas, contact:
Marilyn Prause, TX Military 4-H Liaison & OMK Project Director
mprause@ag.tamu.edu or via phone at 254.774.6024 or
Cheryl Palumbo, SOMK Coordinator at omktx@ag.tamu.edu
or via phone at 254.774.6022
The effects of the Global War on Terrorism reach all corners of the world, including all 254 Texas counties. To address the issues facing military families, particularly military children, Texas Cooperative Extension is proud to provide overall direction to the Texas Operation: Military Kids initiative. Statewide and local partnerships involve a variety or partners including, but not limited to, 4-H, National Guard, Reserves, AARP, Community Civic Groups, School groups, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The American Legion & Auxiliary and various other service organizations. Partners are able to extend a helping hand as well as an educational arm in helping Texans learn about the issues of deployment and how these issues affect thousands of military kids in Texas! Although the main focus of Operation: Military Kids is on youth of National Guard and Reserve geographically dispersed families, we provide leadership to statewide support, education and referral efforts to the degree possible serving ALL branches of the U.S. Armed Services including the Active Duty, National Guard, Reserves, and Accessions commands. More than 92,000 military kids ages 6-18 call Texas home according to Sept 07 OSD data.
Our main mission is creating awareness and understanding of the issues and stresses faced by military families and youth while educating this under-served audience of the value and benefit of becoming involved in the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program and other youth organizations. Key elements of our program include:
Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK) -The Speak Out for Military Kids Ambassador program is a key component of OMK in Texas. Military and civilian youth ages 13-17 may be nominated by an adult or self nominated with references. Nominees attend a two day training course to become Ambassadors for the program. During this training participants develop public speaking/presentation skills, leadership and citizenship skills as they explore issues of deployment, methods of coping and avenues to share their own viewpoints and pointers with others. Thus, allowing them to "SPEAK OUT" for military kids in their respective areas of the state. SOMK youth often assist with statewide activities and in special leadership roles such as interpretation events for key leaders, participating in media interviews at events and serving as Junior Counselors for Operation Purple or other camp opportunities for military youth! To see an example of the work (PSA) of our SOMK youth in Texas click here (TXDallasSOMK.wmv)!
Hero Packs - Community businesses, individuals, civic, church, school and other groups are encouraged to partner with OMK-TX by organizing and conducting a "Hero Pack" initiative in their local community! Demand for Hero Packs in Texas is HUGE due to extremely high deployments. Hero Packs are backpacks (or similar packs) filled with an assortment of items which are made available (pending supply inventory) to military youth who have a parent or sibling in their immediate family household deployed. Hero Packs may be requested (pending availability) by FRG leaders for eligible military youth. Youth may NOT receive more than one Hero Pack regardless of the number of times the family member is deployed. Distribution is intended for geogaphically dispersed (Guard & Reserve and those not living on or near an active duty base) school age youth military youth who have a deployed immediate family member. The Hero Packs (backpacks) are presented to qualifying youth at family readiness days, deployment briefings and other special activities by OMK team members and partners including 4-H and SOMK team youth members. This is our way of saying "thank you" to the military child for their courage and in recognition of all the special opportunities missed while their loved one is deployed. Hero Packs are not mailed, nor are they given to adults. Hero packs currently vary from one distribution to the next, as their content and availability is based solely on individual and group donor support and contributions. Service groups are encouraged to take on a "hero pack" service project or work with others to collect supplies or funds for hero packs. For example, a 4-H clothing & textiles group or local sewing guild might sew backpacks to be used as hero packs while the American Legion, Lions club and Church group collects funds for or donates supplies to go in them! Then ALL community partners get together for the actual educational "packing" event!
Operation: Huggables - Operation: Huggables is an initiative of our SOMK group. They (and others) collect new stuffed animals which are eventually distributed to military children. This is a small way of saying someone cares. It also gives the child something to hold and hug when times get tough! Huggables may be requested (pending availability) by FRG leaders and OMK partners for distribution at family readiness days, promotion events, deployment, reunion and other special events.
Ready, Set, Go - RSG! Trainings - These regional and community based "community briefings" help participants better understand military culture, the issues faced by military families due to the various stages of deployment, and some of the many free resources and support services available to support military families and communities. Participants are engages in role playing, discussion sessions and other learning techniques. Furthermore, RSG! trainings provide an opportunity for building community capacity as networks are formed to provide individual, group and community support services to our military families, especially those in geographically dispersed areas of the state!
Mobile Technology Lab (MTL) - The MTL is available at events for military kids to stay connected to their deployed loved ones. The MTL can be used in a variety of ways, including the creation of greeting cards, digital pictures, and video messages. OMK partners may check the lab out for use in support publicized activities for military youth and families. Specific inventory check-out and accountability guidelines must be followed by OMK partners who desire to use the lab.
Texas 4-H - Military youth are invited to join a 4-H club in their community. Youth who are eight years old and in third grade through 18 may join! Many Texas military bases also offer 4-H opportunities through their youth program office! Making new friends, sharing project interests, and helping others are key to success in 4-H. Activities may include club meetings; educational workshops, camps, county fairs, leadership conferences and many opportunities for recognition. The Texas 4-H & Youth Development Foundation administers over 1.75 million dollars in 4-H scholarships which are awarded to approximately 200 graduating 4-Hers from across the state each year!