United Through Reading keeps families connected

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Smelley | Army Pfc. Stephen Pollett, a service member with Joint Task Force Guantanamo, reads "Goodnight Moon," at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on camera, July 11, to send home to his children. The United Through Reading program, started at JTF Guantanamo in February 2008, is a way for Pollett to keep close to his children during his deployment with the task force. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees, including those convicted by military commission and those ordered released by a court. The JTF conducts intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination for the protection of detainees and personnel working in JTF Guantanamo facilities and in support of the War on Terror. JTF Guantanamo provides support to the Office of Military Commissions, to law enforcement and to war crimes investigations. The JTF conducts planning for and, on order, responds to Caribbean mass migration operations.  

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

07.17.2009

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Justin Smelley 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Being deployed can be hard for parents and children when you start to realize how much you miss the little things — like the bed-time stories you tell your children before you tuck them in at night.

The program United Through Reading, started at Joint Task Force Guantanamo in February 2008, can help your young ones feel your presence at home, as you read them a story every night or whenever they want to see you. All they have to do is pop in a DVD.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Yvette Jackson, the main coordinator of the program for the Joint Task Force, explained the process.

"Come inside the room, have a seat and I'll press record," Jackson said. "I walk out so you can read, sing, or do anything you want to in front of the camera. At the end we finalize it and then give you the DVD and you can mail it home."

The United Through Reading program was originally founded in 1989 by Betty J. Mohlenbrock — teacher, mother and wife of a military flight surgeon. Her plan was to keep military members connected with their families by reading stories on video.

Since the program was developed, it has helped over half-a-million people stay in touch with their families through their videos. Locally, the program has helped many service members.

"I always used to read bedtime stories to my kids and that's one of the things I miss about not having them around," said Army Pfc. Stephen Pollett.

Even if you don't have children to read to, the program is open to anyone who wants to send something home.

"I had one lady who came in and her sister was getting married, so she did a toast since she couldn't be there," Jackson said.

The program takes place once-a-month for four hours. It runs on a 30-minute time interval, so that two people can get complete products recorded every hour. Each person receives 15 minutes in front of the camera to read their story and then the remaining 15 minutes is used to finalize the DVD.

The program is completely free and DVDs and books are provided on site. Books provided at the JTF side are in English and Spanish. The only cost for the participant is postage to send the video home.

For more information about Joint Task Force Guantanamo, visit the Web site at www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil.

• Date Taken: 07.17.2009
• Date Posted: 07.31.2009 09:07
• Story ID: 37003
• Location: GUANTANAMO BAY, CU