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Show uuu u, ouiy Operation Smiley Face helps families cope by Senior Airman Russ Martin Hilltop Times Staff Terminal illnesses, impairments and other difficulties can make life for military families costly, difficult and stressful. Operation Smiley Face, a Hill AFB program, is helping take off some of that strain. Col. A1 Dremstedt, 75th Air Base Wing vice commander, and his wife, Sandy, began Operation Smiley Face as a program for those in need of a little extra help caring for their family. And while the Dremstedts will soon PCS to Colorado Springs, Colo., the program will continue. The program aims to help military families in the Exceptional Family Member Program with kids or spouses who are terminally ill, disabled or have other serious problems, said Master Sgt. Collette Geiss, 4th Fighter Squadron first sergeant and volunteer. The program offers gifts to the families and helps fund repetitive trips downtown for specialist appointments. For Christmas and Easter, Operation Smiley Face helped throw a party, gathered Easter baskets and treated families to brunch. There are 32 kids under age 16 that are dependents of active duty military on Hill that fit into the disabled or seriously ill category, said Dremstedt. That is a large number of kids. I wTent to an EFMP Christmas party last year where in the every family program was invited. They had small gifts, food, snacks and stuff for the kids. It was absolutely outstanding. There was a little boy going through chemotherapy, Dremstedt recalled. His mother said every time he went through it, the pain made him sick and made him cry, but he was running around that day with a smile on his face like it was Christmas morning. It made you feel really good to be a part of helping these kids and their families, many of whom are junior enlisted folks. This is something above and beyond that they could do for their kids and we could do for them. Dremstedt became involved because his son, Daniel, has been in the EFMP program for four years since he was nine.-Sinc- e then, Sandy has attended support groups to help her family deal with the stresses and strains involved. ,My wife, after going to some support groups, had met other mothers of these kids, said Dremstedt.' She was talking with them on a k every-other-wee- Recently, the Dremstedts showed airmen what Operation Smiley Face was all about as they helped wish them a Happy Easter. At Easter time we put together a dozen-plu- s Easter baskets said We Dremstedt. actually wagons, took these out to some of the families to help put a smile on their face for Easter morning. Even on family holidays, its hard for EFMP families to overcome the financial burden of medical costs and special attention requirements. In cases where the illness or disability doesnt allow families to go out to planned brunches and events, the Dremstedts use the money donated to buy gift certificates at restaurants, redeemable at anytime. This gives families the opportunity to go when they have the ability, according to Dremstedt. Thats what Operation Smiley Face is about, he said. Its letting our Air Force family know that someone cares about them, knows what theyre going through and wants to help them get through basis. From the meetings they were able to talk about it. To take a little stress off their lives even if its theirjamilies on a more open dialogue about some ' only for five minutes and to make them feel a litof the problems facing their families. We wanted tle bit better. to do more so we started doing something on the local and regional, Lately, the whole community side, on our own, to help these families. and civilian has been getting into the act. military The biggest problem facing EFMP members is Squadron first sergeants, command chiefs and othfinancial. The junior enlisted corps has the bulk of ers have taken an active interest in the operation. EFMP members, and find it hard to keep up with We have an individual downtown that has comthe added medical costs and treatments. mitted to fund our Christmas Party for the year, We have some families that were having some Dremstedt said. They are going to provide all the serious financial difficulties, said Dremstedt. gifts, all the food, all the entertainment, whatever Besides being a senior airman or a staff sergeant we need, they said just ask them and they will take with a family to support, add to that a child with a care of it for us. serious disability or illness that requires a lot of Weve had a lot of support from the folks downattention. So many times a spouse cant work which town. The local military and civilian community here has been outstanding. They have bent over backjust makes the financial situation worse. Many times the parents have to travel because of wards to help the military and Air Force family out. those medical needs. Just think every time you have I certainly consider them a part of our Air Force a medical appointment, you have to travel to Salt family. Lake (City) and your budget is really tight. Youve The program has started off in the right direction, got to take a day and drive 100 miles round trip. and Dremstedt, and the main motivator, Sandy are Imagine the wear and tear on your car, the gasoline. leaving a living, breathing, successful program. Plus while youre down there youve got to have It is a worthwhile program, said Dremstedt. It something to eat and sometimes you might have makes you feel better about yourself when you help to spend the night. Little expenses just nickel and these kids. They deserve it. The more people hear dime them to death. about the good things were doing more want to help. The Dremstedts talked with others about the sit- Nothing warms your heart more than taking a child uations and began collecting donations. With the with a serious disability or illness and being able to donations, they were able to give airmen an oppor- put a smile on their face. 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