EIELSON AIR FORCE, Alaska -- The season to give thanks is upon us and Eielson First Sergeants led the way with OPERATION Turkey Drop.
Created more than a decade ago, the purpose of the event is to provide a Thanksgiving meal to Airmen and their families as a token of appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the 354th Fighter Wing mission. This year the first sergeants council handed out 283 turkeys.
“OPERATION Turkey Drop is about giving to others to show love and support for what they do for the base,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Justin Holmly, the 354th Contracting Squadron first sergeant.
Eielson First Sergeants gathered at the base commissary and assembled bags with a turkey, a gift card and a thank you message. Bags in hand, they set out to the various squadrons to deliver them to Airmen. Among those who received a turkey was Senior Airman Ibrahim Kumenda.
“I’m really excited for my family this year,” said Kumenda, a 354th Healthcare Operations Squadron Family Health technician. “[Receiving this gift] shows how much my leadership cares about me and my family.”
For the first sergeants and other turkey drop volunteers, the experience and opportunity to give thanks and show appreciation to their fellow Airmen proves to be rewarding.
“I enjoy being able to show Airmen and their families we care about them,” said Master Sgt. Joshua LeGuillon, the 354th Fighter Wing Staff Agency first sergeant. “Once you come to Eielson, you automatically join a family that has your back.”