Spouses send deployed troops care packages

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE — With the passing of Thanksgiving, turkey and green bean casseroles have been replaced overnight by Christmas trees and yuletide gatherings. In this time of family and friends, many squadrons, such as the 524th Special Operations Squadron, come together to send the holiday season downrange to their deployed brethren.

U.S. Air Force photo: Senior Airman Jette Carr

Care packages are prepared for delivery to an aircraft on the flightline at Cannon Air Force Base. Put together by the 524th Special Operations Squadron spouses' club, these boxes will be flown downrange to be distributed to deployed Air Commandos for the holidays.

For three years, the 524 SOS spouses' club has been creating care packages with games, books, snacks and other requested items and putting them on an aircraft set to deploy from Cannon Air Force Base.

They recently loaded several new boxes onto a plane in preparation for December's many celebrations.

The spouses' program, "Hugs for Heroes," has a primary mission of helping deployed squadron members feel connected to home as well as giving them something to open during the holidays, said a 524 SOS spouses' club member.

U.S. Air Force photo: Senior Airman Jette Carr

Air Commandos and spouses' club members from the 524th Special Operations Squadron pose for a photo before loading care packages onto an aircraft at Cannon Air Force Base. Put together by the squadron's spouses' club, the boxes will be flown downrange to be distributed to deployed Air Commandos for the holidays.

"We had a whole committee that put everything together," said the military wife. "It was a big team effort. As a spouses' club we contacted family members and people within the local community who helped us collect the items we put into the care packages. We planned what we would send to each site depending on what they asked us for."

The reward, she said, was seeing the pictures of Air Commandos opening the care packages downrange.

To get involved in "Hugs for Heroes" or other programs sending care packages to deployed Airmen, contact the Airman & Family Readiness Center at 784-4228 for more information.