A not so serious deployment is coming up. After a years-long hiatus The Operation Heroes event is finally back. The Military & Family Readiness Center is excited to bring this family favorite event back to Minot Air Force Base. On Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., MAFB kids and their families are invited to the Minot AFB Youth Center for an afternoon filled with hands-on learning, military demonstrations and plenty of fun.

The goal of Operation Heroes is mostly geared towards elementary school aged kids, however middle school and high schooler ages are welcome to attend and enjoy the fun as well. Operation Heroes provides a better understanding of the deployment process while introducing them to the many different military career paths and missions found throughout the base. Instead of simply hearing about what happens to their Active-Duty parent during a deployment, children will have the opportunity to experience a kid-friendly version themselves.
Technical Sergeant Christine Cherry, Readiness NCO shared her excitement about bringing the event back this year, saying, “I hope people come and enjoy [Operation Heroes], I know as a kid I did!” That excitement is exactly what the Military & Family Readiness Center hopes families will take away from the event.

The mini deployers will begin by processing through a simulated deployment line by checking in, getting paperwork and packing gear. Then they will make their way through security before entering their own “deployed environment.” Both indoor and outdoor displays will feature equipment used by different Air Force career fields. Participants will get hands-on experience with vehicles, robots, protective gear, weapons and so much more.
Along the way, they will explore demonstrations and displays showcasing the capabilities and missions of different units around Minot AFB. The atmosphere will give children a chance to see firsthand the different roles that make the military community work in a deployment setting.

Of course, every deployment, the real ones and the pretend ones, means coming home and Operation Heroes will celebrate this homecoming with a welcome home party for the young deployers and their families to enjoy together. The celebration will include pizza provided by AAFES, bounce castles, games, crafts and other activities for children.

While the goal of this event is to help kids through situations when their Active-Duty parent deploys, putting an event of this size together takes plenty of preparation. TSgt Cherry explained that a lot of pre-planning goes into events like Operation Heroes, and the team, which included staff from the Youth Center and the Military and Family Readiness Center really wanted to make sure everything comes together to create a complete success for the families attending.

There will be approximately twenty slots available during each chalk time (A “chalk” is a term given to a group of deployers that are assigned to a specific movement”, with 160 total slots available. Chalks are in twenty minute intervals.

For Operation Heroes, guardians can choose which “chalk” their children will be assigned to based on when they would like the start time to be. Families with more than one child should register each individually.” For EFMP families, all children in the family may be registered under the time designated for the EFMP member, individually. It will take about an hour to go through the deployment settings.

While this event will have staff nearby, parents and guardians are required to remain on the premises with their children throughout the entire event. Families should also plan to arrive 10 minutes before their assigned start time.

Registration closes Friday, September 4, 2026, so make sure and reserve your spot quickly! This is an event for the whole family!

Mark your calendars, get the kids ready and prepare for a deployment adventure they won’t soon forget!