Deployment: It’s not a game
Introduction:
“Deployment: It’s not a game” was created by Iowa’s Speak Out for Military
Kids (SOMK) team to create awareness about the deployment cycle. The game
squares, “good” cards, and “bad” cards are based on actual events that
occurred during the lives of the military kids on the team as their families
experienced deployment.
Research demonstrates that resilient kids have a network of support.
“Deployment: It’s not a game” can be used in public and school settings to
initiate conversations about building a community based support networks for
military kids and families. As players move through the game, it serves as a
tool to get them to think and talk about the impact of deployment on military
kids and families. Players are encouraged to reflect on the issues military kids
face during deployment, to discuss how they might act in similar situations,
and to discuss how their school, community, or organization might develop a
plan to support military kids and families experiencing deployment.
Military kids who play the game can talk about other challenges and issues
they have personally faced during deployment. They can create their own
“good” and “bad” cards to use in the game. They can create their own game
markers to represent themselves. Teachers and counselors can use the game to
help military kids strengthen their problem solving skills and communication
skills. Teachers can also use the game in their classrooms to give classmates of
military kids a better understanding of the challenges faced by military kids
and Military Families.
Supplies:
 Game board can be printed on: 8.5 X 11 or larger paper or card stock,
larger sheets of paper and laminated, or printed onto vinyl banner
material for a more durable playing surface that can be used over and
over. Some users have even printed each individual square on a sheet of
paper for a room size game where youth act as their own game markers.
 Game markers: anything can be used as a game marker as long as it is
unique to each player. Ideas include photo of a family member, dog tags,
image created and cut out by each player before they begin the game.
Facilitators who utilize the game repeatedly could create multiple game
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markers and laminate them for players to use or gather a collection of
markers that reflect military life.
“Good” cards and “Bad” cards: print out cards on cardstock and cut
along lines. Star stickers could be added to blank side of card to
correspond to stars on game board. Cards could be laminated for
durability.
Die: one die is used in the game. For large table top or floor versions of
the game, use a large “fuzzy” die. Fuzzy die can be purchased for as little
as $1.99 at Amazon.com or as much as $12.99 for a pair of camouflage
fuzzy dice at fuzzythis.com.
Instructions & processing questions for game facilitator
Introduce the game and instructions.
Remind them the game was designed by teens whose Military Families had
experienced multiple deployments and all the situations on the game board
and cards actually happened in the teens’ lives while their dads or moms were
gone.
For non-military youth or a mixture of military and non-military - share with
them that Military Families must be very strong and resilient, as they will learn
as they play this game. Ask them to step up to the challenge and live the life of
a military kid!
Begin play
1. Pick a game marker and place it at start by flag.
2. Each player rolls the die, player with the highest number goes first.
3. First person rolls the die
 Move the number of spaces according to the number on the die.
4. Follow the directions for the space you land on.
 If you land on a space with directions, follow the directions.
 If you land on a star space, draw a card and follow the directions
on the card.
 If you land on a space with a slide, slide on down.
5. Pass the die to the left and remaining players roll the die and follow steps
3 & 4.
6. Continue as you make your way from Stateside to Homecoming.
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7. First player to reach Homecoming wins.
Questions:
Ask the players if they have any family members or family friends in the
military who have been deployed.
Ask the players to think about how they would feel and what they would do if
they had a family member deployed.
The facilitator should walk around while they are playing the game and ask
them about situations that they land on, how they would feel it this was
happening to them/how they would react/what they would do? Would they
feel sad or angry?
When every group is done with the game, or when the facilitator decides it is
time to end the game, ask:
 What would be the hardest thing for you if you had a family member
deployed?
 If you had a deployed family member would you feel you had friends
who would be a good support network?
 How have you been supportive/inclusive of military kids in your
school?
 Have you seen someone offend or make fun of a military kid?
 What are some things that a fellow student might do or say to offend a
military kid or make them sad?
 What are some things a fellow student might do or say to support a
military kid?
 What was the most surprising thing about deployment you discovered
when you played the game?
Military Families often comment that the most difficult part of deployment
comes after the homecoming. Ask players to brainstorm why that might be
and what some of those challenges are.
If any of the players have had a family member/family friend deployed, ask
what happened during that deployment that would make a good or bad playing
card for the game?
Brainstorm ideas on how your school/community/organization could build a
support network for military kids and Families.
 What are some things your group could do?
 Who in the community could partner with your group?
 For ideas on how to build a community network go to The Community
Toolbox at http://ctb.ku.edu/en/
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Additional for facilitators working with military kids
Research shows that one of the basic needs of youth is independence, giving
young people an opportunity to express their opinions helps meet this need.
Help military kids develop a list of tips that they can share with other military
kids, friends, teachers, parents, and other family members.
Examples of some tips from Iowa military kids:
Tips for military kids
 Look forward to when they come home – not backward to how long
they’ve been gone
 Think of good things not negative
 Talk about it with others – you can’t keep it to yourself
Tips for friends
 Stay tuned but don’t be “are you okay?” all the time
 Don’t stop being friends with me
 Let me talk with you to discuss my feelings
Tips for teachers
 Ask me how I am doing – but not 6 times a day
 Give me permission to be absent from school to say goodbye as my
parent leaves for war – or returns for a homecoming
 School is where I go to escape the war
Tips for at home parent or guardian
 Find a support network
 Get involved
 Make time in your schedule to talk with me
Tips for deployed parent or family member
 Find a support network where you are
 Communicate with us as much as possible to keep each other’s
morale high
 Your family at home has “your back”!
Operation: Military Kids
Operation: Military Kids builds partnerships to increase community capacity to
support youth of Military Families
Operation: Military Kids (OMK) is the U.S. Army’s collaborative effort with
USDA/4-H National Headquarters and America’s communities to support the
children and youth of Guard, Reserve and Active Duty Military Families
affected by the deployment cycle. A State 4-H Military Liaison from each state’s
4-H/Extension service’s land grant university leads OMK State Teams in 50
states in partnership with the National Guard, Reserve components, the
Military Child Education Coalition, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the
National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, The
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American Legion, and Schools. These and other community organizations are
joining Operation: Military Kids to support military youth before, during, and
after the deployment of a parent or loved one.
OMK Mission
The mission of OMK is to support military kids living in communities across
the country by:
 Supporting military kids coping with the stress of knowing their
deployed parents may be in harm’s way
 Educating the public on how the deployment cycle affects military
personnel, Military Families, kids and the community as a whole
 Building networks of people, organizations and resources to
support military kids where they live
 Delivering educational, recreational, and social programs for
military kids living in civilian communities
 Acknowledging the strengths and sacrifices of military kids as
everyday home front heroes
Speak Out for Military Kids
Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK) is a core program element of Operation:
Military Kids. Both military and non-military youth participate in SOMK to
generate community awareness of what Military Families experience
throughout the deployment cycle. SOMK team presentations encourage
community activism in building community based support networks.
Through simulations, interviews, and research, the SOMK team members learn
what Military Families experience during deployment. During Challenge/team
building and skill building workshops, SOMK team members develop and
strengthen communication skills, leadership skills, technology skills, and
citizenship skills. Utilizing youth/adult partnerships, the SOMK team members
apply what they have learned in their communities as they create awareness of
the challenges faced by Military Families. Youth led teams create speakers’
bureaus, public service announcements, videos, theatre groups, games, and
direct service programs for military kids. Presentations are given at
professional conferences, school assemblies, community organization meetings,
city council meetings, teacher in-services, etc.
For more information about Operation: Military Kids and Speak Out for
Military Kids, go to www.operationmilitarykids.org A link on that website will
take you to each state’s Operation: Military Kids webpage.
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“Deployment: It’s not a game” design team:
Iowa Speak Out for Military Kids team members who created the original
version of the game
Amanda
Halie
Brooke
Kristen
Crystal
Nicole
Danielle
Rachel
Emily
Samantha
Erin
Sarah
Adult support provided by
Marla Claussen, SOMK alumnus
Maureen Korte, storyteller
Ray “Bubba” Sorenson, painter of the Freedom Rock
http://www.thefreedomrock.com
La Krisha Allen, U.S. Army Reserves Child and Youth Services
Victoria Schmidt, OMK program coordinator
Chris Cook-Leitz, OMK assistant project director
Chris Gleason, OMK project director
Initial production of “Deployment: It’s not a game” was made possible by a
donation from The American Legion Riders Post #731. Thanks, Riders!
Adaptations to the game board by Micki Nelson, Creative Services Staff with
Iowa State University Extension Communications and Marketing
Game introduction, directions, and facilitation questions prepared by Chris
Gleason, Iowa OMK project director and Victoria Schmidt, Iowa OMK program
coordinator
Copyright 2008 AMWRF. All rights reserved.
Photocoyping or reproduction strictly prohibited except within the Department
of Defense and 4-H National Headquarters.
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or disability.
Operation: Military Kids is a partnership of Army Child and Youth Services, National 4-H Headquarters/USDA, and
Iowa State University Extension/4-H Youth Development Program. Operation: Military Kids Iowa is supported by
the 4-H/Army Youth Development Project under Kansas State University special project number 2007-48661-03868.
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