Military children were able to experience military life, through the fifth annual Kids Camp Deployment. The day-long camp included several activities, such as Marines’ mini boot-camp, a Seabees obstacle course, military working dogs demonstration, and Navy divers’ exhibits.

The children were divided into 19 groups, each named after a Navy command. Each group is asked to create a command flag, which are later given to each respective command, according to camp coordinator Christine Anderson.

Crista Camp operations director Shane Carlson shared: “This camp surrounds each kid with others who are experiencing the same things and helps them to understand the challenges of having a parent in the military.”

Team-building exercises for the children participating in the event were facilitated by military volunteers, including Builder 3rd Class(SCW) Steven Szyplinski, stationed at Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest, who facilitated “The Plank” obstacle course. The activity called for the children to work together to get every person from one platform to another.

Szyplinski shared: “It’s great to be out here working with the kids and kind of showing them what we do on deployments.”

An education course that will help children understand their parents’ deployment better was also conducted by representatives from the Fleet and Family Services Center.

At the end of the day-long camp, the children were taken back to base for a homecoming ceremony. Anderson shared: “The parents make signs and the kids are welcomed back and this allows the children to see the impact of family support from their deployed parents’ perspective.”