FORT STEWART, Ga. - The plight of military children across the globe hits close to home for the Army community. In honor of the 1.8 million military children, April is designated as the Month of the Military Child. "This special celebration is a legacy of former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger -- established to underscore the important role children plays in the Armed Forces community," states the MyArmyOneSource Web site.
Student-after-student filed into the auditorium at Diamond Elementary School where they were greeted by Army Community Service members and by the newest member of Sgt. Rocky's Neighborhood Caroline Country for the Sgt. Rocky's Neighborhood puppet show played at Fort Stewart, April 16.
After the recent release of Sgt. Rocky's newest episode featuring the Month of the Military Child, Sgt. Rocky spoke with the students about deployments and the importance of what Soldiers' do every day.
"In support of the Month of the Military Child and as Diamond Elementary School is on Fort Stewart, all of our children are military children," Rose Wood, Diamond Elementary Educational Technologist. "So, it's a way for the [students] to celebrate."
The students were given the opportunity to watch the recently released episode of Sgt. Rocky's Neighborhood, meet Caroline Country and watch the puppet show. The puppets included characters such as Evie, Sgt Rocky and a plethora of social interaction regarding the topic of deployments. Children were able to learn that they are not alone when it comes to the deployment of one or both parents.
"[The puppet show] was pretty good," said Elena Naciel, fourth grader at Diamond Elementary. "[My favorite part] was when they put the show on. Sergeant Rocky was sad because of what the child said."
Naciel said that attending the puppet show made her feel happier and that watching the Sgt. Rocky's puppet show demonstrated that there are other children whose parents are also deployed.
"Most [kids] are sad that their parents have left to Afghanistan, Korea or Iraq," she said. "Kids are going through the same thing as other kids are."
As the puppet show concluded, the students who filled the auditorium cheered and applauded.
The ACS members handed Sgt. Rocky plush 'bull dogs' to the students as they returned to their respective classes.
"[Programs like the Sgt. Rocky's puppet show] makes the [students] feel a little more at ease that they probably have a parent deployed, and it helps calm them because there are other children like them who are in the same situation," Wood said.
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