The USO helps kids with a deployed parent

The Comfort Crew for Military Kids is a new initiative by the Trevor Romain Foundation to better focus on military children. This initiative is comprised of programs meeting the unique challenges of military life. Developed around our Grief Support Program, Deployment Program, Injured Hero Program, and Caregiver Program, Trevor Romain’s Comfort Crew for military kids creates, produces, and distributes a series of comfort kits that are customized to address the specific psychosocial issues military children face.

At select events the Fort Bragg USO has handed these boxes out. Others have had to fill out a form to receive the boxes. Check with your local USO for availability.

The With You All the Way! Deployment Kit is designed to support families with children ages six years and older that have a family member deployed with the US Military.

The kit includes:

• The With You All the Way! Dealing with Deployment DVD • A Writing Journal with prompts, calendar, map, and activities
• The With You All the Way Caregiver Booklet
• A set of 10 Postcards featuring original artwork by Trevor
• CuzzieTM, a friend offering support to children
• Imprinted Dog Tags
• All housed in a Cuzzie Cargo Case to keep treasured items safe while your loved one is deployed.

"I love the bear and journal inside the box", said Sarah P., a third grader at Honeycutt Elementary School. "My mom and I were at an event when I got the box as a gift, it helps me think of other kids like me with a dad who is gone."

This program addresses the multiple phases of deployment and the challenges associated with preparing for pre-deployment, maintaining a connection during deployment, and the transition to home life during reintegration.