FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Camouflage paint, physical readiness training, radio communication, night vision goggles -- it's all in a day's work for Soldiers, but it was a brand new experience for their children Saturday.
The Jr. Vanguard Basic Training Day Camp was an opportunity for children of Soldiers in the 4th Engineer Battalion and 43rd Sustainment Brigade to get a taste of what their parents do, and the event connected them in unexpected ways.
"I think it's awesome to learn," said Esmerelda Mansfield, 10. "I haven't been with my stepdad in the Army that long. It's pretty amazing to find out what they do in the day."
Noah McMurray, 11, said he was eating the same meal, ready to eat, that his stepdad had eaten, beef brisket.
"The MREs are actually pretty good," said William Smithies, 11.
The goal of the event was to raise funds in the event of a casualty among 4th Eng. Bn. Soldiers deployed to Afghanistan, said Capt. Kevin Balentine, rear detachment commander.
"It all goes back to the Families," he said.
The day began with the oath of allegiance, many children taking the words literally
as they repeated, "I, state your name."
After PRT, they split into teams and worked through various stations, such as a black-out maze with night vision goggles, a 45 degree rappel incline, a simulated minefield obstacle course and a first-aid station. The children also had the opportunity to climb into a buffalo, a heavily armored vehicle used to clear roadside bombs.
The buffalo was especially meaningful to Adam Miller, 10. His father worked in one during his first deployment.
"(It was) cool to go into the buffalo because nobody gets to go into it, but military kids," he said.
Many of the children have deployed parents, but some had parents who were there as volunteers or spectators.
"I think this is a great event, and I'm so happy to see the Soldiers out here supporting the Families," said Maj. Amy Jackson, executive officer, 43rd SB. "My daughter tells me she wants to be just like me, and this is her taste of basic training. She's loving it."
The inspiration for the event came from the 555th Engineer Brigade, the battalion's higher headquarters, said Hillary Mooney, family readiness support assistant, 4th Eng. Bn. The Joint Base Lewis-McChord-based brigade held a deployment camp for their children.
"I think this has gone incredibly well," Mooney said. "I was very pleased with the Soldier support. The kids have had a great time. I couldn't be happier."
The engineers built the rappel incline and maze from scrap materials and taught the children Soldier tasks, such as marching, standing at attention and saluting.
The day concluded with a game of capture the flag and the presentation of certificates of enlistment and dog tags.
"The (noncommissioned officers) we work with went above and beyond," said 1st Lt. Steven Henao-Escobar, officer in charge. "Kids notice when they put that level of work in. The point is, the kids get a realistic view of what their parents are doing. It's challenging. It's new, but it's very rewarding."
Social Sharing