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10th Guam National Guard Camp Freedom opens
The 10th Annual Camp Freedom opened Monday for children of Guam National Guard airmen and soldiers at Fort Juan Muna in Harmon.
The Guam National Guard Counterdrug Program, together with the Family Programs Office, conducts the annual camp to bring children together who shared the tough experience of having their parents deploy and allows children to interact and network with one another. The camp provides an interactive learning environment full of team building activities and experiences that help develop fellowship among dependents.
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- Children of National Guard members listen to a safety brief prior to the start of activities at Week 1 of this year’s Camp Freedom at Fort Juan Muna, Harmon. (MAJ JOSEPHINE BLAS/GUAM NATIONAL GUARD)
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- Children of National Guard members prepare to start activities at Week 1 of this year’s Camp Freedom at Fort Juan Muna, Harmon. (MAJ JOSEPHINE BLAS/GUAM NATIONAL GUARD)
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- From left, Dr. Sherleen Osman, director of Medical Affairs, Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.; Esther L. Muna, CEO, CHCC; Joaquin Deleon Guerrero, facility manager, CHCC; Warren Villagomez, PHEPP/HPP director, CHCC; John Hirsh, executive director, American Red Cross; Zachary Flores, Medical Supply assistant, CHCC; Paul W. Camacho, Emergency Services director, American Red Cross; and Thomas Palacios, General Support supervisor, CHCC. (Contributed Photo)
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- Children of National Guard members prepare to start activities at Week 1 of this year’s Camp Freedom at Fort Juan Muna, Harmon. (MAJ JOSEPHINE BLAS/GUAM NATIONAL GUARD)
Priority for Camp Freedom is for children of Guam Guard soldiers and airmen, ages 5 to 17, who recently returned from deployment.
Nearly 600 soldiers from Task Force Guam, 31 airmen of the 254th Security Forces Squadron, and four soldiers from the 1990th Contingency Response Team recently returned from deployments to various parts of Southwest Asia.
“The primary focus of Camp Freedom is to help build and foster the children’s resiliency, self-esteem, and team building ability in a fun and friendly environment,” said Maj. Gen. Benny M. Paulino, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard.
The first Camp Freedom was held in 2005. That year, the Guam Guard continued to see a high deployment rate among its soldiers and airmen. Dependents, especially children, were faced with the hardship of having a parent deployed to the combat theater.
Camp Freedom consists of two one-week sessions, on July 14-18 and July 22-26, with about 100 kids at each session. Activities for the children include various team building events, a puppet show, movie and ice cream day at a local theater, sports, Underwater World tour, kite flying at the War in the Pacific Park, a park cleanup at Asan Public Beach, and a fun day at Onward Water Park. (PR)
