Operation Purple Camp comes to Okinawa

  • Published
  • By Nicole Williams
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  On Aug. 1, 50 military youth on Okinawa began a week of fun in the sun at Okuma Recreation Facility thanks to the facility and the National Military Family Association. 

Dion Bass, the facility's Teen Center director, and Geoffrey Rinehart, its Youth Center director, teamed up with the NMFA to bring Operation Purple Camp to Okinawa this year for the first time since its inception in 2004.

Operation Purple Camp is an event designed to engage and support the needs of the military family. The camp has since grown into a successful event held over the course of 40 weeks each year, in 25 different states, and now in one overseas location. It emphasizes the NMFA's theme: "Kids Serve Too."

Bass and Rinehart planned an entire week of fun and frivolity for the youth participating in OPC. The kickoff event, a mock deployment line at Kadena Air Base with briefings, Meals, Ready to Eat and more, was aimed at giving the kids a first-hand understanding of what military members experience prior to a real-world deployment. From there the participants then "deployed" to Okuma Recreation Facility.

Bass said one of the goals for the week was to encourage kids to try new experiences. Although Typhoon Muifa cut short Bass and Rinehart's plans, the participants were still able to take advantage of all the water activities available at Okuma, as well as spend time with Fran Puckworth, a Military Family Life Counselor, who was on hand to help teach the youth ways to deal with the stress of a deployment and how to deal with challenges in life.

"This was better than in the states! We have banana boating!" exclaimed Mitchell Jones, a long-time participant of Operation Purple Camp.

"It was fantastic!" agreed Jesse Boss, Youth Sports Center employee and camp counselor. "I had a blast! All kind of kids meshed together snorkeling, kayaking and banana boating."

Upon their return to Kadena, Rinehart encouraged the participants to share what they learned and experienced with their family and friends.

"Our mission is to empower these military children -- our youngest heroes -- to develop and maintain healthy and connected relationships, in spite of the current military environment," said Mary Scott, NMFA Chairman of the Board. "Kids attending Operation Purple Camp ... [had] the opportunity to learn the skills to cope with the stress of a deployment and make friends with other kids who are also missing their mom or dad."

"This [was] a 'thank you' for their service," added Rinehart.