Trevor Romain, award-winning author and children's books illustrator, jokes with military children after a USO-sponsored film screening of the DVD "With You All the Way" at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., March 30, 2010. USO photo by Mike Theiler
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
April 2, 2010
elaine.wilson@dma.mil
I wanted to share information about a great new resource for military children.
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Defense and USO officials have teamed up with the Trevor Romain Co. to create a DVD to help school-age children prepare for and deal with all stages of their parents’ deployment, from pre-deployment to separation to reintegration.
The free DVD, called “With You All the Way,” is slated to be distributed through USO centers and Military OneSource in May as part of a children’s deployment kit that also contains a stuffed bear named Cuzzie, postcards, a journal and a set of dog tags inscribed “With You All the Way.”
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The DVD follows main characters Jack and Skye as they help their friends Darrell, Pablo and Brittany deal with different aspects of deployment. Darrell’s brother is preparing to deploy, Pablo’s mother has deployed again, and Brittany is adjusting to having her father back home.
It also includes interviews with military families who discuss how they work to stay connected.
Logan Woolberton, 7, left, Kamille Swygert, 8, and Kyra Pyron, 9, right, who all have parents serving on Fort Myer, Va., open their deployment kits at a USO-sponsored film screening of the DVD "With You All the Way" at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., March 30, 2010. USO photo by Mike Theiler
Noted children’s author and motivational speaker Trevor Romain interacts with the characters and guides viewers through the DVD.
“The DVD helps to let [military children] know that even though it may feel like they are alone, we are with them all the way,” said Barbara Thompson, director of the Defense Office of family policy and children and youth. I wrote about Thompson’s speech at a launch event earlier this week in an article for American Forces Press Service, “New DVD Helps Children Deal With Deployment.”
Romain wrote about the new DVD in a blog posted on the USO Web site. He said he decided to start the project about three years ago after he went on several overseas tours with the USO.
“After visiting with these kids, it became very apparent that a resource was needed to help them with deployment,” he wrote.
Children relate to his characters because they share many of the same concerns, Romain wrote. “We try to never shy away from being real and telling the story from a child’s perspective.
“If this DVD can give these kids just a little support, some hope and inspiration, and validation of what they are feeling, it will make me extremely happy and proud,” he added.
Keep an eye out for this great new resource for children. In the meantime, you can find other helpful resources through Military OneSource or through your base family support facility.