NEWS OVERVIEW & CONTACTS CALENDAR On Post Off Post

PHOTO                                                     Navy Reserve Families learning about OMK at a Pre-Deployment Conference- Corups Christi. 8/20/11 A family supporting their soldier at a Pre-Deployment Conference- Corpus Christi. 8/20/11 A happy family at the Pre-Deployment Family Readiness Conference in Corpus Christi. 8/20/11 A group of youth working together for a game. Pre-Deployment Conference in Corpus Christi. 8/20/11 Youth building communication and team work to be successful Corpus Christi. 8/20/11 Youth of Navy Reserve participating in team buidling activities- Corpus Christi 8/20/11 Navy soldiers getting awards at the pre-deployment conference in Corpus Christi. 8/20/11 A group of youth at the Back to School Youth Rally at the Stillwell Reserve Center in San Antonio. Youth must first get their name tags before going to stations at the Back to School Youth Rally. Playing "The String Game" at the Back to School Youth Rally (Stillwell Reserve Center, San Antonio) Going downstairs without dropping the ball was one challenge of the string game. Another obstacle was to go under a table. Talk about a challenge! (8.27.11 Stillwell Reserve Center) This group worked together to complete the string game! (Stillwell Reserve Center 8.27.11) The web game showed how all the kids were somehow connected at the Back to School Youth Rally Exercises were done at the Back to School Youth Rally to release some of the kids energy! A tired participant after exercises at the Back to School Youth Rally, Stillwell Reserve Center. A group of youth writing thank you letters to a loved one in the service. (8.27.11) One last activity is done before lunch at the Back to School Youth Rally in San Antonio. Roosevelt High School's National Night Out. (10/04/2011) "National Night Out" was held at Roosevelt High School in San Antonio! Roosevelt High School ROTC starts off the evening for National Night Out Bexar County and Operation: Military Kids are just a two of the many booths at National Night Out. Operation: Military Kids was able to educate many youth about OMK programs during National Night Out Georgetown 4-H chose to support OMK by asking for donations for HERO Packs! With donations from One Day 4-H, they were able to buy 3 shopping carts of HERO Pack items! Hutto 4-H also supported OMK on One Day 4-H by asking people to make cards to put in HERO Packs. Many youths, young and old made thank you cards to be put into HERO Packs for One Day 4-H! Set-up outside a Wal-Mart, Gerogetown 4-H club asked for any and all donation for OMK HERO Packs. Despite the rain, the 4-Hers kept asking for and collecting donations for OMK! OMK State Team Members coming in for a day of RSG training OMK State Team Members answer the question "What is Community Capacity?" Fort Hood FRG Leaders participating in OMK State Team Meeting OMK State Team Members: RSG Training October 13, 2011 OMK State Team Members talking about 2012 OMK goals OMK State Team Members participating in meeting October 13, 2011 Groups share what they think Community Capacity is October 13, 2011 Kids making WELCOME HOME banners for the return of their parent- Fort Hood 10/22/2011 Kids are asked questions about being a child of a deployed soldier- Fort Hood 10/22/2011 Kids are put into formation the same as their parents do everyday! - Fort Hood 10/22/2011 About Face!- Fort Hood 10/22/2011 Making photo albums for their deployed soldier - Fort Hood 10/22/2011 Talking about what it's going to be like with the return of their parent. - Fort Hood 10/22/2011 Getting to know you is half the fun. National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 I am the General and I have orders for .....National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 Slow and steady wins the race. National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 Team work can make all great things happen. National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 Team work! National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 We did it! National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 We make a GREAT team! National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 When we work together we can overcome any obstacle. National Guard Volunteer Training 10-29-11 Operation: Military Kids had a booth at the Texas Stars Hockey Game for Military Appreciation Day! OMK got the chance to meet and talk to many Texas Stars hockey fans and military personnel. Our great 4-H volunteers were back again to help spread awareness about the OMK mission! Lets talk about what we learned today? - SOMK training 12/05/2011 Our future leaders working together - SOMK Training 12/05/2011 Together we can make a difference - SOMK Training 12/05/2011 Deployment makes me feel: . . . .Houston Family Day 12/04/2011 Houston 4-H Agent talks about Science - Houston Family Day 12/04/2011 I can do this! - Houston Family Day 12/03/2011 I can make a difference - Houston Family Day 12/04/2011 A glimpse of what my soldier does - Houston Family Day 12/03/2011 Our Hero's come together for Family Day - Houston Family Day 12/03/2011 We LOVE our volunteers - Houston Family Day 12/04/2011 Youth volunteer talking to kids about healthy snacking - Houston Family Day 12/04/2011 Yummy! - Houston Family Day 12/04/2011 Youth are surprised w/ Hero Packs from TX Ranger Scott Fieldman at Veterans Celebration 11/11/11 At the 1st Speak Out for Military Kids meeting at Ft. Hood, the youth began by signing in. The SOMK/Youth Board at Ft. Hood played the game "General," to break the ice! One of the activities at the SOMK/Youth Board training was to think of promnent youth issues. After brainstorming some youth issues, each group presented what they had come up with. SOMK/Youth Board group photo at Fort Hood, they had a great time! A great group of kids were at the first Ft. Hood SOMK/Youth Board training! As part of the SOMK/Youth Board the kids got to enjoy some pizza and refreshments, yummy! At the end of the SOMK/Youth Board training the kids were invited to take toys for their siblings. Georgetown SOMK had their 2nd meeting on January 23rd! Say cheese! The Georgetown SOMK group decided to come up with some great community service projects! Georgetown SOMK had so many unique and fun community service ideas, they had to narrow them down! Communitcation/teamwork activities at the Texas Army National Guard Yellow Ribbon Event on 2/4/2012 Kids learned techniques to cope during the stages of deployment at a Yellow Ribbon Event. A group of friends having a fun time at a TX National Guard Yellow Ribbon Event Creating some teamwork skills; don't fall! At the TX National Guard Yellow Ribbon Event: 2/4/2012 All the kids that participated in the TX National Guard Yellow Ribbon Event played many games! The San Antonio Spurs hosted a 4-H/ OMK night at their home game on 3/12/2012! A group of the "Un-Included" kids came out to show support for OMK/4-H night at the Spurs Game! "Un-Included from illiteracy, drugs, teen pregnancy, and childhood obeasity" at Spurs OMK Night! Showing some 4-H pride at the OMK/4-H Night at a Spurs basketball game! Getting rowdy at the OMK/4-H night on 3/12/12 at a Spurs Basketball Game! One of the many military families that came out to the OMK/4-H night at the Spurs game on 3/12/12 After the game, all of the OMK/4-H attendees got to go on the Spurs basketball court for a picture! In total, 277 OMK/4-H supporters came out for the OMK/4-H night at the Spurs basketball game! Ft. Hood kids drove for three hours to get to the OMK/4-H night at the Spurs game! Thanks Y'all! Bee keeping and honey information was learned at Kids, Kow, & More! Youth learned about cotton from farmers as the Kids, Kows & More event in El Paso One of the stations kids could attend at the Kids, Kows & More event was about food safety Some of the kids got to touch a bull at Kids, Kows & More. Look at these fearless kids! Looks like some of the soldiers were just "kidding" around while watching some kid goats! Looks like the goose is ready for some dinner after a day at Kids, Kows & More event in El Paso! Here is a group of kids learning about the beef industry; hamburgers anyone?! An exciting animal to see up close was a longhorn at the Kids, Kows & More event. Military 4-Hers were ready to help out at Kids, Kows & More. Way to go guys! One of the many families that showed up to participate in the fun and learning at Kids, Kows & More The kids were given a treat of milk and cookies at one of the stations! Yum! Volunteers where out to assist with the Pecan Station as the kids learned about the state nut! A group of soldiers/volunteers had a busy day assisting at Kids, Kows & More. Who knew learning about agriculture could be so fun!? This is the station that taught youth all about livestock. Where's the head and where's the tail? The Mobile Dairy Classroom is a great way for kids to see how the milking process is done! Here are a few of the experts from the With You All The Way Symposium getting ready! The "With You All The Way Symposium" was an official success! KLRN helped to host the With You All The Way Symposium, on February 21st! At the San Antonio area OMK LRSN (local regional support network) on 3/22. Part of the San Antonio LRSN meeting was to define what community capacity meant After collaborating on defining community capacity, groups shared their results! Bexar County Extension also had a presentation at the San Antonio LRSN meeting on March 22nd! A group of participants waiting to start the fun at the Nat'l Guard Yellow Ribbon Event, March 10th One of the activities for the kids was a "Bug Board" discussing things that "bugged" the kids Another great activity was called the "Garden In A Glove" A few seeing eye dogs came to pay the participants at the National Guard Yellow Ribbon Event a visit Academy and Kids Club- Montgomery County wear purple for Purple Up! Academy and Kids Club- Montgomery County wear lots of purple for Purple Up! April 13th! Agent Salinas and her grandaughter wear purple together for Purple Up! Ayden, Karson, Alyssa of Brazos County support fellow children of the military by wearing purple! Brooks County Walmart wore purple for Purple Up! For Military Kids! Brooks County Carousel Adult Center all wearing Purple for Purple Up! Brooks County Judge and Staff all wearing purple to support military kids Caldwell Elementary signatures of love for Purple Up! April 13th 2012 Caldwell Elementary writes letters to military kids for Purple Up! Cel and Aaron Tamez Hildago wear purple to support military kids for Purple Up! Child and her soldier in Montgomery County supporting Purple Up! Comfort Crew wears Purple for Purple Up! Countryside 4-H in Southlake - Tarrent County show some support for Purple Up! For Military Kids! The Distric 8 Fashion Show had lots of purple to support Purple Up! Falurrias Elementary School wore purple for Purple Up! on April 13th Faubian Elementary Purple Up Assembly Faubian Elementary Student Council celebrates Purple Up! Faubian Elementary Teachers support Purple Up! Military Family at RR Express Game for Purple Up! Purple Sage Elementary supports Purple Up! RR Express supports Purple Up! Spike the Round Rock Express Baseball Mascot supported Purple Up! Round Rock Express Baseball Players signing baseball items after an evening celebrating Purple Up! Texas 4-H Faculty wearing purple for Purple Up! Trails End 4-H - Montgomery County wearing lots of purple for Purple Up! Work Force Solutions in Tarrant County wore purple to work to show their military child support! At the American Heroes Camp, at Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas, kids made thank you cards for soldiers! The Texas logo on one of the helicopters at the American Heroes Camp An air show was done at the American Heroes Camp at Camp Mabry, Austin, Texas Soldier wore military gear from all decades at the opening ceremony of the American Heroes Camp A father and daughter play the fishing game under the TX ARNG tent! May 19th Yellow Ribbon Event in Fort Worth, Texas Youth at a Yellow Ribbon event on 05/19/12 played games like "Sharks and Lily Pads" Youth at the May 19th Yellow Ribbon Event in Fort Worth also played games like "Walk This Way" At the Round Rock Military 4-H Sport Fishing Camp, participants learned how to tie knots. Backyard Bass kits were also used at the Military 4-H Sport Fishing Camp on June 21st! Even the hot Texas sun didn't stop our participants from fishing! Waiting for a bite at the 4-H Military Sport Fishing Camp One of the first big fish catches of the day! 4-H Military Sport Fishing Camp Boy Scouts from Georgetown were just some of the many volunteers at the Military 4-H Fishing Camp Military 4-H Sport fishing Camp, group photo - June 21st in Round Rock, TX Guess who got the "Smallest Fish" Award? Military 4-H Fishing Camp Camp Corral 2012 Opening Ceremony Doing some team building activities at Camp Corral 2012 During free time at Camp Corral 2012, outdoor activities were king! The OMK station at Camp Corral 2012 involved some coloring time for the little guys! The OMK rotation at Camp Corral 2012 had the groups doing "The Human Knot"! Leather braceletes were made at Camp Corral 2012 held at the Texas 4-H Center! Wind Energy was a station at Camp Corral 2012, campers made "boats" and tested their sails! At Camp Corral 2012, campers did fun activities like zip-lining! Closing Ceremony of Camp Corral 2012 was bittersweet! Making "Gak" at the 2nd Annual Military 4-H Science Day Girl Scouts of Central Texas made "Film Canister Rockets" for Military 4-H Science Day in Temple Georgetown Jr./Master Gardeners had a propogation station at Military 4-H Science Day! Wind Energy was another station at the 2nd Annual Military 4-H Science Day on July 24th Christine Sandoval OMK Program Assistant for San Antonio is seen giving a Water Testing Presentation At Military 4-H Science Day, there was the "Watts Up" Station, among many others! Girl Scouts of Central Texas also had the "Static Electric Pepper Dance" Station at Science Day! Georgetown 4-Hers had two stations, one of them was a robot that helped the campers color! At the Dallas RSG! on 08/14/2012 groups found their commonalities and unique characteristics! 08/14/2012 - Dallas, RSG! - Groups read military youth related articles increase military awareness. The Dallas RSG! participants were great at communicating their military youth concerns! Gerogetown SOMK arrived at Brooke Army Medical Center's Fisher House to deliver blankets Many of the handmade tie blankets were handed out to recovering soldiers. The tie blankets that were donated to Fisher House III were made by military kids at various camps! In total the military youth made 31 tie blankets at Camp Corral and the Texas Navy Adventure Camp! Tie blankets are a small way for the community to support those who support us! A big thanks to the three Georgetown SOMK kids who helped deliver the tie blankets. Operation Jet, August 10th, 2012 at Lackland Air Force Base! At Operation Jet, military kids went through a mock deployment! 08/10/2012, Lackland AFB As part of their mock deployment, the military kids went through physical training & got "uniforms!" Operation Jet allowed military kids to have a fun military related day at Lackland AFB! 8/10/2012 SOMK youth bring in donated goods and toys to the Fisher House in San Antoino for the Holidays SOMK youth/4-Hers bring in donated goods & toys to the Fisher House in San Antoino for the Holidays SOMK kids working hard unloading donated toys and dry goods at Fisher House in San Antonio! SOMK kids working hard unloading donated toys and dry goods at Fisher House in San Antonio! SOMK group shot at the Fisher House in San Antonio, donating for the holidays! SOMK youth were treated to an entertaining visit with one of the recovering soldiers! One of the recovering soldeirs at Fisher House took time out of his day to tell the kids his story The Hamiltons, one of the many families who will be at Fisher House over the holidays. The 4-H Leader of the youth dropping off donations at the Fisher House talks with a military wife Army Reserve Yellow Ribbon in Houston, Texas! Playing the name game! Harris County 4-H Agent Marcus Glenn was at the Army Reserve Family Day on December 15th in Houston! At the Army Reserve Family Day in Houston, youth got to make robots for fun! Boys and Girls alike constructed robots at the Army Reserve Family Day on Dec 15th Teamwork and following directions was important for making robots at the Houston AR Family Day At the Army Reserve Family Day on 12/15, youth were able to make avatars! At the Army Reserve Family Day on 12/15, youth used ipads to make music! Campers at the 4-H Teen Retreat Jan 4 - 6th , 2013 made tie blankets for a community service project 4-H Teen Retreat Jan 4 - 6th , 2013 made tie blankets for a community service project for local vets Teamwork!!! At 4-H Teen Retreat Jan 4 - 6th , 2013 made tie blankets for a community service project All sorts of tie blankets were made at the Teen Retreat on Jan 4, 2013 for a service project! Georgetown SOMK Group met on 3/5/2013 to talk about a Huggables Drive at their Middle School! The Georgetown SOMK Youth Board made posters for their Huggables Drive to be held during April! National Guard Youth Symposium on March 23, 2013 was a great time for all of the kids! March 23, 2013 National Guard Youth Symposium! El Pasoians Fighting Hunger by sorting through donated item as the new food bank! El Paso SOMK Youth Board helped to set up and organize their new local food bank! AREC Camp held in Grayford, Texas. Campers learned about OMK and played fun ice-breaker games. At the AREC Camp playing the Hula Hoop game! A 4-Her volunteering at the OMK station at the AREC camp in Grayford, Texas. AREC Camp at the YMCA in Grayford, Texas. AREC Camp in Grayford, Texas had many happy participants! Mobile Tech Lab used by military teens for researching OMK and other resources Military Family enjoys some dance time with Accenture reps at family event in Killeen! Fort Hood ACS - Family Advocacy program supports OMK events! El Paso SOMK Teen speaks with the media about youth issues! Over 600 military kids grades 1-5 received backpacks filled with School supplies! Never too young to learn to work with the media! Discussion groups help civilian youth understand military culture Future servicemembers in the making! Learning About Flags is an important part of good Citizenship! Beautiful creations made by military youth at this family day "hat booth"! Cards and letters of support help families know they are appreciated! SOMK youth visit with guests at National Reserve conference SOMK youth visit with guests at Celebrate Fort Hood event. SOMK Training provides practice time at the podium! SOMK trainees work on presentation development. TX Cowboy writes letter of support to military kids! MTL users at Brownwood Reunion Celebration sends emails and card to soldiers! Military youth help make decorations for special activities! TX 4-H Council members help with OMK exhibit at state livestock show. TX 4-H State Council gets into the military spirit with "wagon" parade entry - earning second place! Future soldier tries on her gear! SOMK youth use MLT to develop their presentations. 4-Her collects over 150 items for Operation: Huggables! OMK and SOMK participants promote program to over 9000 at Dinosaur World event! SOMK youth give leadership to Celebrate Fort Hood event and "steal the show"! SOMK youth accept congratulations and thank you from event guests. Texas 4-H'ers (Distict 8 and State 4-H Council) give leadership to a "huggables" drive at State Fair Over 1200 attended major backpack distribution event for an afternoon of fun, food and fellowship! SOMK youth helps military youth pick out just the right backpack filled with school supplies!