Submitted to Navy Wire Service
USS BonHomme Richard
WestPac Tour
NWS 24Feb-10.

BonHomme Richard Sailors Read to 
Their Children While Underway

By JO1(SW) Robert W. Garnand, USS BonHomme Richard Public Affairs

USS BonHomme Richard (LHD 6), At Sea (NWS) -

If you miss reading bedtime stories to your children while you're at sea, then how do you think they feel? They probably miss hearing your voice and seeing your face while you read to them in that special way that only you can. Parents at sea and their children ashore don't need to miss that anymore. Not with a program called "United Through Reading," now available to parents on board USS BonHomme Richard (LHD 6).

The program, which comes from the United Through Reading, offers parents at sea an opportunity to communicate regularly with their children by reading a story aloud on videotape. Reading aloud on videotape brings the parent directly into their children's living room. In addition to reading a story, the parent can also continue parenting from thousands of miles away by speaking to their children directly on the videotape.

Boiler Technician 1st Class Victor Servian, of El Paso, Texas, is one parent who is already seeing benefits of the program. "I think it's great having a program on board allowing parents to read to their children," Servian said. "I mailed off my first video in Hawaii. My wife sent me an e-mail after they got the video and she said it was great being able to have this program so our daughters could see and hear me without breaking that bond we have.She told me that as soon as bed time rolls around, they drink their milk and then they're ready for the video.I recommend that everybody on board that has children take advantage of this program. It's really good."

So parents, the next time you go to sea, remember you can still read your children their favorite bedtime stories. You'll both be glad you stayed "United Through Reading."