‘Little Heroes’ recognized for having deployed parent Published June 12, 2014 By Senior Airman Sarah Hall-Kirchner 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILLINIOS -- Deployments are known to military members as exhausting times away from family and friends in a foreign land. Those who have deployed experienced long days of hard work in harsh conditions, all in support of the overall mission. While the deployed member is away, life goes on for the family at home. The other parent is left to look after the household, bills, and children. Children are left to cope without one of their parents. It can be a difficult time for children, and so the "Little Heroes" program was started. On June 5 the 375th Comptroller Squadron and wing staff agencies recognized the children of members who were, or had recently, deployed. Each child received a certificate, a bracelet and a coin. The certificate thanked them for standing by their deployed parent, the bracelet stated that they served too, and the coin read that they were a "little hero." Maj. Matthew Waggoner, 375th CPTS commander, expressed his thanks to the children of deployed or recently deployed members. "Little kids don't understand why their parents are gone--still they sacrifice. Military kids are resilient and we want to give back to them."