RAF MILDENHALL, England – Some of the more than 115 children and families who attended Operation Together and Ready here move through a mock deployment processing line April 28, 2012. Phase I of the event, which aimed to educate children on the deployment process, included talking with representatives from organizations Airmen would typically see prior to leaving for a deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Thomas Trower) RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Elijah, son of 100th Operations Support Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Chris Bennett, examines a strobe light in a survival raft at Operation Together and Ready here April 28, 2012. Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape equipment was one of several displays available to the families of Airmen who attended the event geared towards educating children on the deployment process. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Thomas Trower) RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Staff Sgt. Gevoyd Little, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordinance Disposal flight, lets AJ, son of Capt. Kevin Haynie, 351st Air Refueling Squadron, control the camera on robotic equipment the flight uses to assess and disable explosives on deployments during Operation Together and Ready here April 28, 2012. Phase II of the deployment scenario allowed the children of Airmen to experience a part of the deployment process. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Thomas Trower) RAF MILDENHALL, England -- In the final phase of Operation Together and Ready, military families are welcomed home by volunteers at Heritage Park April 28, 2012. The event aimed to educate more than 115 children and their families on the typical parts of a military deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Thomas Trower) Operation Together and Ready a success with children, parents by Senior Airman Jerilyn Quintanilla 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs 5/2/2012 - RAF Mildenhall, England  -- Bundled up and soaking wet from head to toe can be expected here, but on April 28, the children participating in Operation Together and Ready were all smiles despite the dreary weather. More than 115 children and their families attended Operation Together and Ready, a deployment event specifically geared towards educating children on the deployment process. The simulated deployment consisted of three phases: Phase I - the processing line, Phase II - deployment, Phase III - the welcome home party. Phase I began upon arrival. Children signed up and were placed into their designated "chalks" and bused to the 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron warehouse. There the children met representatives from organizations Airmen would see in a typical deployment processing line: immunizations, the chapel, the legal office, the Airman and Family Readiness Center, and finance. They also received an intelligence briefing and a commander briefing. To complete the processing line experience, every child received a pair of dog tags. From there, everyone was transported by bus to Base "X" located in Hangar 814, for Phase II. This phase featured a number of activities and demonstrations from various base organizations including the 100th Security Forces Squadron, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight, 100th CES Emergency management and the 100th Operations Support Squadron, among others. A KC-135 Stratotanker static display was also available for children to tour. Upon completion of the deployment, the families returned back by bus, heading for the final phase - their "welcome home." They were greeted with decorative signs celebrating their return and lunch consisting of hotdogs, chips, drinks and dessert provided by families from the 100th LRS. "This event gives children a positive emotion towards deployment and helps them understand what their parents go through when they deploy," said Sharon Rector, 100th Force Support Squadron Caring for People coordinator and event chairperson. "It's also a great tool for parents to use when explaining deployments to their children." More than 100 Airmen and base community members volunteered their time to make the event memorable. The event proved to be a success with the parents as well as the children. "To quote my son (Tryston, 8) when he got off the bus at the welcome home party, 'Wow daddy that deployment rocked!'" said Tech Sgt. Jeff Bellon, 100th FSS. "I've never attended an event like this, and I truly feel that my son was given a small slice of what we go through; definitely worth the time we spent out there."