6th/927th Family Readiness Begin "Operation Storytime" Published Oct. 23, 2009 By Capt. Shane Huff 927th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The Airmen and Family Readiness Center of the 6th Air Mobility Wing and the 927th Air Refueling Wing collaborated to begin "Operation Storytime" this week. This program is designed to help deploying servicemembers create a memorable gift for their families. The concept is that servicemembers will be video recorded reading stories to their children before they deploy. Approximately one week after they leave on their deployment, a DVD and a copy of the book they read will be mailed to their family. Staff Sergeant Richard Livernois is captured in the attached photograph reading a story to his two children. Livernois is a Communication Navigation Specialist with the 927th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, he will be forward deployed soon. Tech. Sergeant Kristine Keyser is the Readiness Non-Commissioned Officer at the 6th Air Mobility Wing Family Readiness Center. She ran a similiar program for a year and a half at Scott Air Force Base. According to Keyser the feedback for this program has been that this is a way for families to stay connected as most families use story telling as a bedtime routine with their children. The idea for this was borrowed from the United Service Organizations (USO) "United Through Reading" program. Many international airports have a USO office, often a place for service members to relax while in transit. Since Tampa International Airport does not have a USO office, the Airmen and Family Readiness Center at MacDill Air Force Base decided to start their own program for local deploying members. The plan is to give servicemembers the opportunity to read stories to their children Tuesdays between 0830-1000am. For further information contact Tech. Sergeant Keyser at (813) 828-0122 or Master Sergeant Kim Sisco at (813) 828-1854.