McConnell dependents experience the deployment process

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Colby L. Hardin
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Approximately 120 children received the experience that our service members get when going through a mobility line for deployment on Sept. 26, 2015.

McConnell's 22nd Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center has held this event every year for the last 12 years in an attempt to help families better understand what their Airmen go through to prepare for deployment.

"What's really good is that pretty much every squadron is and wants to be involved," said Maryann Barry, 22nd FSS community readiness consultant. "We have different point of views from all around base, from people on the flight line, to personalists."


The children received their own personalized dog tags. There were demonstrations from the 22nd Civil Engineering Squadron explosive ordnance disposal shop, and the 22nd Security Forces K9 unit performed during the end of the mobility line.

"The squadrons that gave the demonstrations were very excited to show off what they do for deployments," said Maryann Barry, 22nd FSS community readiness consultant. "It's exciting to see that everyone had their own plans on how they wanted their portion of the mobility line to go."

The event started at 10 a.m. and went on until 2 p.m. More than 100 people signed up to attend this year's family mobility line.

The day began with a bus picking up the families at the A&FRC and taking them to Bldg. 1220, where they then went through the mobility line. The participants also received a chance to see a static display of a KC-135 Stratotanker.

"I think it's good for the families to get a little feel of what we have to go through before we can leave," said Staff Sgt. Byron Edwards, 22nd Air Refueling Wing chaplain program support NCO in-charge. "The demonstrations definitely gave them the real feel for things, just on a smaller scale."

Many dependents don't know how it feels to deploy and this event gives them the chance to experience the process of leaving.

"We all can get tasked for deployment at any time," said Edwards. "This was very educational and it can make the conversation a lot easier for when I have to tell my children that I will be away from home for a while because I have to deploy."