FORT BLISS, Texas (Nov. 13, 2014) -- Katie Van Valkenburg is having a bit of trouble getting her Basset hounds Lyndon and Ladybird to sit still next to her on the grass, but when the dogs finally settle down and the photographer captures the three of them together, she knows the resulting image will make the perfect gift for her deployed husband.
Van Valkenburg and her dogs are at El Paso's Memorial Park, where 50 other families of deployed service members were at Nov. 8 to be photographed as part of a Very Merry Military Mini Session.
The Very Merry program was started five years ago at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, by Laura Fleming, a professional photographer and the spouse of a Soldier. Fleming asked her husband, who was deployed at the time, what he wanted for Christmas. He replied that he wanted new photos of his family, and the resulting photos she took sparked in her the idea for the program.
Today, families who book a mini session get 20 minutes with one of a number of volunteer photographers, who arranges them in a variety of holiday-themed backgrounds, snaps a number of photos with professional-grade cameras, and provides their clients with 10 high-resolution print- and email-ready images -- at no cost to the families.
In previous years, the Very Merry program was only available at Fort Sill. This year, however, the program branched out nationwide for the first time, allowing families at installations in places such as Kansas, Hawaii, and of course Texas, to take part.
"The intent behind (the program) is just to be able to send a little piece of home to the Soldiers downrange for the holidays," said Lindsey Baldwin, area coordinator for the Fort Bliss Very Merry program and one of the volunteer photographers.
Baldwin became involved with the program after meeting Fleming at Fort Sill when her husband, Capt. Zachary Baldwin, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, here, was attending a course there. When Fleming reached out this year for volunteers to head up the mini sessions at other installations, Lindsey enthusiastically signed up.
"This program brings military families together," Lindsey said. "It lets these deployed service members know their families are thinking about them, and they get to see updated pictures of their family. It allows the families to add a personal touch to individual Christmas presents they want to give to their Soldiers."
On Saturday morning, the site at Memorial Park reserved for the mini sessions essentially resembled an outdoor photography studio. Couches, chairs and decorative blankets dotted the grass; sparkling snowflakes hung from trees; and small stacks of rustic antique luggage propped up small signs that read "Happy Holidays."
When the families arrived at their appointed time, one of the eight volunteer photographers -- seven of whom were military spouses themselves -- would situate their subjects at one or more of the backgrounds and coax from them wide eyes and beaming smiles for images that would become memorable keepsakes for their deployed service member.
Van Valkenburg, whose husband, 1st Lt. Joe Van Valkenburg, is deployed to Qatar with 2nd Bn., 43rd Air Defense Artillery, of course had her canine companions in tow for her session, but other spouses brought their child or children -- aged anywhere from toddler to teenager -- to pose together for their photos.
"I heard about it through a friend on Facebook," said Natalie Cone, who brought her son Ethan, 6, and daughter Abbie, 2, for their session. "It just seems like a really nice thing to do for the deployed Soldiers as a reminder of the joy of Christmas. It's important to keep things as routine as possible for deployed service members."
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brendon Cone, who is deployed with the same unit as Van Valkenburg's husband, doesn't like to pose for photos himself, so receiving photos of his wife and two children will make for a great gift, Natalie said.
"I think he'll really enjoy the photos and he can know that we're doing all right and we're still thinking of him," Natalie said, following her session where she, Ethan and Abbie posed together on a forest green 1954 Chevrolet 3600 pickup truck that was donated for use during the program.
Melissa Fair brought her three sons -- Myles, 9; Landon, 6; and Cooper, 3 -- for their session because she said it would be fun for her husband, Sgt. Ken Fair, also deployed with 2nd Bn., 43rd ADA, to see some holiday-themed photos that really captured their sons' humorous side. The boys sat for their session on the bed of another donated pickup -- this one a red 1950 Ford F-1 -- with all three wearing either a Santa Claus or elf's hat, and Cooper sporting a white Santa's beard.
"I think it's a great boost for my husband's morale, because he has a hard time being away from the kids and from us," said Melissa, "so it kind of lifts his spirits whenever he gets a package or pictures from us."
Though this year's Very Merry program has finished, Baldwin said the intent is to offer it again at Fort Bliss every year.
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