DUKE FIELD, Fla. -- The 919th Special Operations Wing and 492nd SOW Integrated Resiliency Optimization Networks recently hosted an art competition for children of unit members in recognition of the month of the military child.
“We like to recognize and show the importance of the children and how being in the military impacts them,” said Cynthia Duffey, 919th SOW director of psychological health. “This year, we decided to host a tour for our contest winners.”
Participants created artwork that conveyed what being a military child meant to them. The artists were placed into five age groups and the winners of each group were invited to take part in a tour of Duke Field.
“The art the kids submitted was fantastic,” said Staff Sgt. Justin Davis, Airman and Family Readiness transition assistance program manager. “The smiles on their faces made the whole tour worth it.”
Upon their arrival to Duke Field, contest winners received mock nametags that vaguely resembled common access cards before loading onto a bus that shuffled them around the base.
“This event will help kids appreciate what their parents do here at Duke Field,” said Duffey. “It was wonderful to have the participation of both the 492nd and 919th IRON teams to make sure we hosted an amazing event for these kids.”
The children saw demonstrations of military working dogs, firetrucks, security forces equipment, 3-D printing technology used by maintainers, and even dawned night vision goggles. They ended their day with an ice cream party where they collected their certificates for winning the competition.
“This was a great way for us to show our appreciation and give back to our families and kids,” said Davis. “We saw a bunch of happy kids spending time with their families and learning about what we do here.”
To see more stories about how the IRON team supports resiliency throughout the unit, check out the 919th SOW on Facebook and Instagram.