Air Force Staff Sgt. Enrique Corral of the Allied Forces Southern Europe international police unit applies camouflage face paint to Andrew Katson, 6, during the Naval Support Activity Naples National Night Out picnic Tuesday at the base's support site housing area. Both Andrew and his 4-year-old brother Jimmy had their faces painted. (Jason Chudy / S&S)
Air Force Staff Sgt. Enrique Corral of the Allied Forces Southern Europe international police unit applies camouflage face paint to Andrew Katson, 6, during the Naval Support Activity Naples National Night Out picnic Tuesday at the base's support site housing area. Both Andrew and his 4-year-old brother Jimmy had their faces painted. (Jason Chudy / S&S)
Shane Webber, 10, is lowered to the ground after reaching the top of climbing wall at the Naval Support Activity Naples National Night Out picnic Tuesday. It was the fourth time on a climbing wall for Shane, whose father works at the U.S. Army element at the Allied Forces Southern Europe headquarters. (Jason Chudy / S&S)
Reina Guerriero, 2, has her fingerprints put onto a child indentification kit offered to all parents during National Night Out. (Jessica Iñigo / S&S)
James Cook of Naval Support Activity Naples's Physical Security office fills a balloon for Kimberly Miolan, 8. (Jason Chudy / S&S)
Emily Stange, 7, tries to move her red race car past Suheyla Rogers, 6, during the National Night Out in Darmstadt, Germany. (Jessica Iñigo / S&S)
European military communities joined towns and cities across the United States on Tuesday in combat against thousands of American children missing each year.
The 20th annual National Night Out — a crime and drug prevention event — came to American families in Europe with identification kits, games and free food.
The National Child Identification Program offered free child kits to parents. Booth workers photographed, fingerprinted and took DNA hair samples of children and placed them in sealed envelopes for parents to store in case of an emergency.
“I feel I have better security, knowing I have this on file to help locate my daughter if something should happen,” Lori Guerriero said, who received a kit for her daughter Reina, 2, at the Darmstadt, Germany, National Night Out.
Each year, more than 800,000 children in America are missing, according to Capt. Wayne Ludwig, provost marshal for the 233rd Base Support Battalion in Germany.
“This event is geared to bring community members out to interact with each other and the law enforcement,” Ludwig said. “Our hope is that everyone will get to know each other and become comfortable in helping each other. When law enforcement gets to know the community, we learn what the problems are and then we could work together,” Ludwig said.
Games, demonstrations and free barbecue were offered to help families get to know each other. Local European law enforcement teamed up with military police for vehicle demonstrations. Bouncing houses, dunk tanks and karaoke provided families the opportunity to have fun together and help each other.
