Hurlburt Field gives KUDOS to Air Commando kids Published May 6, 2011 By Staff Sgt. William Banton 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD Fla. -- More than 100 children returned home to their families from various mock deployment locations while participating in Kids Understanding Deployment Operations at the Deployment Control Center on Hurlburt Field, April 30, 2011. The KUDOS program, begun by the Airmen & Family Readiness Center, educates dependents on what their parents experience while in the deployment process. Col. Curt Van De Walle, 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group commander, said that unlike their mothers and fathers the dependents of servicemembers didn't volunteer to serve in the military and do not get a say in their parents deployments. "I think it's important for them to appreciate and understand what their moms and dads do," said Colonel Van De Walle. As the children arrived at KUDOS they were in-processed and broken into three groups which rotated between a deployment line, a deployment briefing and face painting with camouflage makeup. The deployment line was manned by volunteers representing different stations, such as legal and medical, helping make the experience for the children as realistic as possible and giving kids a chance to ask questions. "I think it's important to give our children a firsthand look at the beginning processes of what we go through," said 2nd Lt Monica Maresh, volunteer Military Personnel Squadron chief, and mother of five. The children were then issued dogtags, uniforms (camouflage hats and t-shirts) and shown Mission Oriented Protective Posture equipment such as gas masks, rubber gloves and other protective gear. The 1st Special Operations Security Forces Squadron then preformed a K-9 demonstration to show the capabilities military working dogs provide to base protection. The kids were then loaded onto busses and transported to their deployment location at the Commando Hanger. At the mock deployment location the kids were given hands-on access to vehicles and equipment many of their parents work on every day including a CV-22, an AC-130, fire trucks and Humvees. To end the day the children marched back to the DCC where they were greeted with warm welcomes from family and friends. Parents, like Lieutenant Maresh and her husband Tech. Sgt. Andrew Maresh, wanted their kids to participate in KUDOS because one or both deploy a lot and they wanted to give their children a chance to see what it's like to be deployed. "They were really excited (about KUDOS)," said Lieutenant Maresh "The boys came down stairs dressed in their BDU shirts and their floppy hats, there super excited."