V-me airs Sesame Street Special.

More than 700,000 American children under age five have a parent deployed in military service – the most since the Second World War. And with Hispanics comprising nearly 1 out of 10 American troops, Latino families make up a significant portion of those impacted.

V-me, the first Spanish network developed in partnership with public television, has joined with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street and Plaza Sesamo to present a special program to address the challenges and sacrifices military families face with deployment and separation. The half-hour special, Cuando el servicio llama: Vivencias de familias militares (adapted from Sesame Workshop’s When Parents are Deployed), is hosted by well-known telenovela actress, Gaby Rivero.

The selflessness and sense of duty displayed by both the families remaining at home and the many brave men and women who leave home to fight for our freedom is tremendously moving

The program will air on V-me over Memorial weekend, May 26, May 27 and May 28. It can be seen locally in many cities on cable and digital broadcast; and nationally on DISH Network Ch 9415 and DISHLatino Ch 846. Check your local listings for more information.

Cuando el servicio llama: Vivencias de familias militares reveals candid and intimate moments with parents, caregivers, and children impacted by deployment. They express how they are coping with the daily challenges and concerns associated with having a deployed parent and how families deal with their return home after service.

“The selflessness and sense of duty displayed by both the families remaining at home and the many brave men and women who leave home to fight for our freedom is tremendously moving,” said Carmen DiRienzo, president of V-me. “V-me is proud to bring this important program and its related support materials to the Latino families who make up such a substantial part of our armed services.”

“We are thrilled that V-me has chosen to bring the important messages of When Parents Are Deployed to their Spanish-speaking audience,” said Gary E. Knell, President and CEO, Sesame Workshop.

“Viewers will learn about the challenges children face when they have a parent who serves and how, when a soldier is deployed, the entire family is too. V-me and Sesame Workshop share in the mutual goal of bringing educational and entertaining programs to the Hispanic community.”

When Parents Are Deployed was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and portions of the special were contributed by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. as part of their support of Talk, Listen, Connect.

In conjunction with the television special, V-me is providing links to free support materials available for active duty families on http://www.v-me.tv>. The materials are part of Sesame Workshop’s Talk, Listen, Connect, a bilingual kit developed to help military families and their young children, 3-5 years of age, cope with various phases of pre-deployment, deployment and homecoming. The kit includes a DVD, featuring the beloved Muppets from Sesame Street, a parent/caregiver booklet and activity poster. Talk, Listen, Connect was produced in partnership with and funded by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., with additional support provided by the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYSOMH) and the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC).