KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Ridgway, 18th Logistical Readiness Squadron technician, instructs Seth Werner, Operation Purple Camp participant, in how to put on a gas mask Aug. 1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, during Operation Purple Camp. Children of U.S. military service members and Department of Defense personnel participated in demonstrations and briefings to illustrate how the deployment process works. Workers from the 18th Force Support Squadron also worked with participants to make Operation Purple Camp a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)
KADENA AIR BASE -- Justin Nguyen, a college student working at Shima No Ko Child Development Center, passes a dog tag to Marc Maschio, Operation Purple Camp participant, Aug. 1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, during Operation Purple Camp. Children of U.S. military service members and Department of Defense personnel participated in demonstrations and briefings to illustrate how the deployment process works. Workers from the 18th Force Support Squadron also worked with participants to make Operation Purple Camp a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Danielle Small, Operation Purple Camp counselor, passes a Meal, Ready to Eat to Eric Kisling, Operation Purple Camp participant, Aug. 1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, during Operation Purple Camp. Children of U.S. military service members and Department of Defense personnel participated in demonstrations and briefings to illustrate how the deployment process works. Workers from the 18th Force Support Squadron also worked with participants to make Operation Purple Camp a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Staff Sgt. Duong Ngo, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron technician, shows M-8 chemical paper to participants experiencing a mock deployment Aug. 1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, during Operation Purple Camp. Children of U.S. military service members and Department of Defense personnel participated in demonstrations and briefings to illustrate how the deployment process works. Workers from the 18th Force Support Squadron also worked with participants to make Operation Purple Camp a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Lauren Param, Operation Purple Camp participant, tries on chemical gear with a helping hand from Airman 1st Class Aaron Gonzales, 18th Logistical Readiness Squadron technician, Aug. 1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, during Operation Purple Camp. Children of U.S. military service members and Department of Defense personnel participated in demonstrations and briefings to illustrate how the deployment process works. Workers from the 18th Force Support Squadron also worked with participants to make Operation Purple Camp a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Aaron Gonzales, 18th Logistical Readiness Squadron technician, Aug. 1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, during Operation Purple Camp. Children of U.S. military service members and Department of Defense personnel participated in demonstrations and briefings to illustrate how the deployment process works. Workers from the 18th Force Support Squadron also worked with participants to make Operation Purple Camp a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Benjamin Dominguez, Shima No Ko Child Development Center employee, demonstrates how to use a Meal, Ready to Eat to Operation Purple Camp participants Aug. 1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, during Operation Purple Camp. Children of U.S. military service members and Department of Defense personnel participated in demonstrations and briefings to illustrate how the deployment process works. Workers from the 18th Force Support Squadron also worked with participants to make Operation Purple Camp a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)
OKUMA RECREATION FACILITY, Okinawa, Japan -- Operation Purple Camp participants kayak in the waters of Okuma Recreation Facility Aug. 2 on Okinawa, Japan. Dion Bass, Kadena Teen Center director, and Geoffrey Rinehart, Kadena Youth Center director, teamed up with the National Military Family Association to bring Operation Purple Camp to Okinawa this year for the first time since its inception in 2004. (Courtesy photo)
8/11/2011 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- On Aug. 1, 50 military youth of Okinawa began a week of fun in the sun at Okuma Recreation Facility planned by Dion Bass, Teen Center director, and Geoffrey Rinehart, Youth Center director, and courtesy of the National Military Family Association.
Bass and Rinehart teamed up with the NMFA to bring Operation Purple Camp, an event designed to engage and support the needs of the military family, to Okinawa this year for the first time since its inception in 2004.
The camp has since grown into a successful event held over the course of 40 weeks each year, in 25 different states, and now in one overseas location. It emphasizes the NMFA's theme "Kids Serve Too."
Bass and Rinehart planned an entire week of fun and frivolity for the youth participating in OPC. The kickoff event, a mock deployment line at Kadena with briefings, Meals, Ready to Eat and more, was aimed at giving the kids a first-hand understanding of what military members experience prior to a real-world deployment. From there the participants then "deployed" to Okuma Recreation Facility.
Bass said one of the goals for the week was to encourage kids to try new experiences. Although Typhoon Muifa cut short Bass and Rinehart's plans, the participants were still able to take advantage of all the water activities available at Okuma, as well as spend time with Fran Puckworth, a Military Family Life Counselor, who was on hand to help teach the youth ways to deal with the stress of a deployment and how to deal with challenges in life.
"This was better than in the states! We have banana boating!" exclaimed Mitchell Jones, a long-time participant of Operation Purple Camp.
"It was fantastic!" agreed Jesse Boss, Youth Sports Center employee and camp counselor. "I had a blast! All kind of kids meshed together snorkeling, kayaking and banana boating."
Upon their return to Kadena, Rinehart encouraged the participants to share what they learned and experienced with their family and friends.
"Our mission is to empower these military children - our youngest heroes - to develop and maintain healthy and connected relationships, in spite of the current military environment," said Mary Scott, NMFA Chairman of the Board. "Kids attending Operation Purple Camp ... [had] the opportunity to learn the skills to cope with the stress of a deployment and make friends with other kids who are also missing their mom or dad."
"This [was] a 'thank you' for their service [too]," added Rinehart.
