Christmas delivered by air

  • Published
  • By Capt. Vince King Jr.
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  Santa employed members of Bagram Air Base this year to help him deliver Christmas to troops deployed to austere locations throughout the theater.

In support of Operation Enduring Freedom, there are thousands of troops living in forward operating bases who receive their supplies through various means. This holiday season, the Air Force and Army delivered more than 50 container delivery system bundles, weighing more than 63,400 pounds.

Santa's tactical sleigh for this mission was the C-130 Hercules deployed from the Alaska, Puerto Rico and Michigan Air National Guards, and assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, along with a team from the 777th EAS at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Loading and building the pallets for the sleigh were men and women from the Joint Logistics Command and the 455th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

On Dec. 21, Airmen and Soldiers with the JLC began palletizing Christmas bundles for the forward operating bases. Base leaders placed small notes on the bundles, thanking the servicemembers for their continuous service and sacrifices and wishing them a happy holiday season.

"The men and women of the U.S. Air Force are proud to deliver these holiday bundles," wrote Brig. Gen. Christopher Miller, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander. "We deeply appreciate your sacrifice during this special season, whether you are apart from family, friends, or just away (from) the nation you serve. We hope as you celebrate you will enjoy the company of your comrades-in-arms, and that 2007 will bring many blessings for you and your loved ones."

This year, morale items air-dropped to the forward deployed troops included shirts, magazines, gum, cough drops, calendars and a Christmas tree with decorations.

According to Lt. Col. Mark Hedlund, 774th EAS commander, delivering the gifts was a challenge.

"We ran into several (obstacles prior to the airdrops)," said the lieutenant colonel. "But we were able to later come back and deliver the bundles to the troops."

Scheduled to be delivered Dec. 23 through 26, the bundles were unable to make their final destinations due to severe weather conditions in the region; however the squadron did manage to deliver several airdrops on Dec. 23.

According to the colonel, the squadrons' goal was to deliver the bundles as soon as the weather permitted safe flying, delivery and recovery for all troops involved. He said the last five bundles were delivered to the forward deployed troops on Dec. 28.

Even though the troops in the field received their gifts after Christmas, they were still grateful that Bagram Air Base leaders were thinking of them this holiday season.

To date, the JLC and 774th EAS have delivered more than 4 million pounds of cargo in and around Afghanistan since the 10th Mountain Division's arrival in February.

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