MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- As more and more service members are deployed to support operations around the globe, they are constantly faced with new and unforeseen challenges.
However, out of all the physical and mental obstacles a service member may encounter, the most difficult, perhaps, is being separated from family while on deployment.
The Station has recently broke new ground by becoming the first land-based installation to adopt the Uniting Through Reading program. This program, which has already been implemented on more than 100 ships and submarines, will be used to help Marines and Sailors who come here on an unaccompanied tour or as part of the Unit Deployment Program ease the tensions of their military sacrifices.
In an effort to better keep families connected, the Family Literacy Foundation created the program to offer service members stationed away from their families an opportunity to send a personal moment home to their loved ones via video.
The deployed personnel communicate with their children by reading a book. The session is videotaped and then mailed back home so that the child can spend some quality time with mom or dad on a daily basis.
The program not only helps the child, but the parent as well. It is recommended that families back home videotape or take a picture of the child's reaction to the video to send back to the deployed parent.
The uniqueness of Uniting Through Reading is that the children can see their parent's face as opposed to mail, audio cassette and e-mails, according to the Family Literacy Foundation Web site, a benefit which helps to reduce any family anxiety upon the service members return home.