What is OMK?

Operation Military Kids is collaboration between numerous organizations designed to build community capacity to support our military youth in geographically dispersed locations.

We were started in 2004 with 5 OMK states and now include 49.

How does OMK operate?

•  State 4-H Military Liaisons lead OMK State Teams consisting of representatives from the National Guard, Army Reserve, the Military Child Education Coalition, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, The American Legion, Schools, and other community organizations.

•  MK state teams work to create networks of youth workers, educators, counselors and community service agencies in communities across the state to support military children and youth.

What is the OMK mission?

The mission of OMK is to support deployed National Guard, Army Reserve and Active Duty Soldiers' children living in communities across the country by:

•  Creating networks of people, organizations and other resources to support "suddenly military" children and youth where they live.

•  Delivering a wide range of recreational, social and educational programs for military youth living in civilian communities.

•  Acknowledging the strengths and sacrifices of military kids as everyday home front.

•  Supporting military kids coping with the stress of knowing their deployed parents may be in harms way.

•  Educating the public on the impact of the deployment cycle on service members, families, kids and the community as a whole.

How do OMK State Teams accomplish the OMK mission?

•  OMK accomplishes its mission by implementing four core program support elements:

1. OMK Ready, Set, Go!

•  RSG! Trainings are designed to offer insight into military culture, the deployment cycle and suggest ways to understand the needs of military kids and their families by bringing local community resources together in order to support them.

2. OMK Hero Packs

•  Hero Packs are backpacks that are filled with mementos and items designed to help connect kids with their deployed parent.

•  Hero Packs serve as a "Thank you" to military youth for their sacrifices and an expression of support from their communities and OMK partners.

3. Speak Out for Military Kids OMK project

•  SOMK is a youth led, adult supported project that generates community awareness of issues faced by youth of military families.

•  Youth form speakers bureaus and develop presentations, public service announcements, videos, and other materials and actively seek opportunities to share their experiences with others in the community (e.g. school assemblies, Service club meetings and events, city council meetings, fairs, community activities, and teacher in-service programs).

•  Through simulations, interviews, and research, citizens begin to understand what military families go through during deployment.

4. OMK Mobile Technology Labs