Sesame Street Live teaches children about deployments Published Aug. 5, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Samantha S. Crane 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- Elmo, the Cookie Monster and their Sesame Street friends showed children from Mountain Home Air Force Base what a deployment means to them and their family during a show July 30. The tour is part of Sesame Workshop's "Talk, Listen, Connect" initiative, a military outreach program launched in 2006. Story lines are designed to help families understand and talk about the difficulties of multiple deployments, homecomings and changes in parents, whether physical or psychological. "The show came out of the success of the DVD put together by Sesame Street for military families," said Betty Naylor, tour producer with the United Service Organizations world headquarters. "It became such a big hit that we expanded it." The show not only talked about what to expect before, during and after a deployment, it also talked about ways for families to keep in touch. "There are lots of things that can make you feel better," Elmo told children during the show. Ways to stay positive or keep in touch include reading stories previously read by parents before leaving, drawing pictures or writing letters. "It's great watching parents have something to enjoy with their children," said Ms. Naylor. "It's one the most successful things I've seen." The production, sponsored by the USO, runs from July through November and will stop at 43 military installations during that time. After Mountain Home AFB received word about the concert, the 366th Services Squadron submitted the base for consideration for the tour. "With our high operations tempo and all the children we see at the youth programs with deployed parents, it's wonderful to see a tour they can easily relate to," said Judy Gulley, 366th SVS Family Member Programs flight chief. Because of high demand, two showings were offered at the base theater. "We're so glad they chose Mountain Home AFB," said Jenna Beaty, wife of Maj. James Beaty, 366th SVS commander. "Our four boys loved it." For more information about the program, visit www.sesamestreet.org/tlc.