Picnic perfection

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Leo Brown
  • 442nd Fighter Wing public affairs
"Build it and they will come." Everyone knows that line from the movie "Field of Dreams", but "cook and they will come" was a fitting phrase for the 442nd Fighter Wing's Unit Training Assembly, Oct. 14. 

Almost 1,000 wing members and their families turned out on that day for the 2006 "Welcome Home and Family Day", which featured mountains of food and "Operation Home Front Hero," an initiative to help wing members' children understand what their parents go through in preparing to deploy. 

When all was done, project officer 1st Lt. Keith Yersak said the day was a huge success and wanted to say thanks for all those involved. 

"The good food, the good music, the weather; everything just fell into place," Lieutenant said. "We had a great turnout. This is one of the first picnics we had people stay past sign out. There were still people there at 5 p.m. It couldn't have been a better day for a picnic." 

While the finishing touches were being put on the food and drinks, 151 children, ages five to 18, went through deployment lines featuring, among other things, briefings as well as fake immunizations, identification cards and dog tags. 

Master Sgt. Vickie Chambers, non-commissioned officer in charge of the 442nd family support office, said the four-hour operation helped "educate our children and dependents on what their family members go through in preparing for a deployment. 

"(Tech. Sgt.) Calvin (Acklin, of the family support office) did a great job rehearsing with them for standing at attention when (wing commander) Col. (Steve) Arthur came in the room. (Master Sgt.) Mitch (Dorl, 442nd Security Forces Squadron) was decked out from head to toe for his force protection and intel briefing. He was super," she said. 

"When the "deployees" got to the picnic, the security forces squadron had a night vision tent set up so they could use night vision goggles," Sergeant Chambers said. 

Once people made their way to the food tent, they were treated to ribs, baked beans and a host of other foods, prepared largely by area "barbecue hobbyists." 

Tech. Sgt. Kevan Taylor, 442nd Maintenance Squadron, who befriended the hobbyists, incluyding Rock Loose, of Kansas City, recently and when he told Loose that his unit was having its annual picnic, Loose volunteered to help out. 

Loose gathered individuals and companies to donate time and supplies for the event, and helped make the day what it was. 

The volunteers, who began working the day before the picnic, were treated, among other things, to a Wing mission briefing by Col. Mark Ronco, 442nd FW vice wing commander, and saw the A- 10 simulator. Lieutenant Yersak said the volunteers felt so welcomed they were talking Friday about coming back for the next picnic. 

"It's nice to know patriotism is out there," Lieutemant Yersak said.. "It's good to see someone doing something about it. It's a nice way to say 'thank you'"