UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons are raucous times at the U.S. Army War College's Carlisle Barracks in central Pennsylvania: The barracks' 4-H club is busy discovering cameras and cooking. And, while visitors may only see youngsters and teens having fun with food and one another, the programs are developing Pennsylvania's next generation of leaders even as they help young people cope with the strain of the nation's wartime deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Carlisle Barracks 4-H Club is part of a national partnership established in 1995 by National 4-H Headquarters with United States Army Child and Youth Services and Air Force Family Member Programs. Military men and women (including National Guard and Army Reserve members) stationed stateside or assigned around the world can enroll their children in youth- development programs that provide safe and nurturing environments on military installations. Military youth involved in 4-H clubs around the world can continue their 4-H work wherever their parents are transferred or deployed.

State 4-H military liaisons guide establishment of 4-H clubs on military bases by assisting officials of local Army and Air Force installations. The clubs can provide stability for young people who are coping with a new home and community, says Bob Salviano, director for youth services at the War College.

"Most of the families in Carlisle are stationed here for a year of training, so our role is different from that of larger Army posts," he says. "We also have families here with Department of Defense civilian employees and some families that have dad or mom overseas. Several teens from National Guard families have been participating in leadership opportunities beside their 4-H counterparts. These opportunities are providing a strong youth leadership team for programming for children of military families."

The one-year assignments mean that children and teens at the Carlisle Barracks must cope with high turnover rates, disrupted friendships and ongoing instability, Salviano says. To ease these transitions, his department sponsors a military youth center, boys and girls clubs, sports teams and other positive programs. 4-H's varied programs and dedicated community volunteers have made a substantial contribution to the services that his department can provide to the base's children and youth.

"The county 4-H has several activities that we offer here," he says, "and their staff has added a lot to our programs by giving us another activity for kids to take part in. We're trying to offer as many as possible for kids in many different age groups, so 4-H gives us a little more flexibility."

The 4-H youth development program's service to children, youth and families of military personnel around the world recently was recognized with a Department of Defense Certificate of Commendation personally signed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Each state 4-H military liaison was presented with a framed copy of the certificate with a personalized message on the back.

"The commendation has been a real motivator to keep us working with our military counterparts," says Christy Bartley, 4-H youth development program leader for Penn State Cooperative Extension. "Pennsylvania does not have the formal military installations found in other states, so much of the 4-H program's efforts have been in reaching youth who suddenly find themselves in active military families due to National Guard, Army Reserve and Army Guard deployments. Support found on military bases in not available to these youth, so they come together for fun and leadership development through the 4-H program. Many of these youth are working alongside long-time 4-H members to learn leadership, citizenship and life skills."

"The Carlisle Barracks 4-H Club is one of 17 4-H clubs in Cumberland County, and it's very special, indeed," says Nina Redding, Cumberland County extension director. "We're thrilled to offer support to the club and to the adult volunteer 4-H leaders working with the club. Amy Magnuson, who works with the barrack's childcare and school-aged children's programs, is a 4-H leader for the club and a member of the county's 4-H advisory council. She's very energetic and has shared her enthusiasm and many great ideas with the council for several years."

Magnuson says the 4-H programs, which include photography, a bicycle club, gardening and summer camps, attract a range of participants.

"Most of our students' parents are in the military, but some students are civilians whose parents are on post" she says. "It's just like any other program, but we meet weekly instead of monthly, and we offer a before- and after-school program. The teen program is different because they can come and go as they please because of schedule and schoolwork." Each Wednesday, 4-H leader Allen Campbell and sixteen hungry 4-Hers are in the kitchen using a variety of 4-H foods and nutrition project books to develop their cooking skills. Christopher Baker of Carlisle says he needed an after-school recreational activity.

"In Carlisle, there's nothing to do, so we sit around bored," Baker says. "In the cooking class, we learned to make chicken in turkey roasters, cake, sugar cookies and homemade ice cream. I believe cooking is a skill that everyone should learn, it's fun to do and we get free food. Mr. Allen is a great guy and he teaches us many things. I plan to continue until I move or it stops happening."

The Carlisle Barracks 4-H Club is part of the Penn State Cooperative Extension 4-H youth development program which helps young people become self-directed, productive and contributing members of a diverse society. 4-H is a community of more than 7 million young people across America and around the world learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. Learn more about 4-H military programs at http://www.4-hheadquarters.gov/.

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EDITORS: Contact Christy Bartley at 814-863-3828 or cek4@psu.edu. Contact Nina Redding at 717-240-6505 or NLR2@psu.edu.

Gary Abdullah Writer/Editor Phone: 814-863-2708 E-mail: gxa2@psu.edu