In a summary of how Christmas was treated around the military this year:<\/p>\n
Air Force leadership wished their Airmen “Happy Holidays<\/a>“, without expressly saying to what holidays they were referring.<\/p>\n Fort Stewart had an actual Christmas<\/strong> tree with Christmas carols<\/a>, though the quotation about the meaning of the season — “a time to grow and reflect” — was a bit off.<\/p>\n Schofield Barracks managed to only light a “Holiday Tree<\/a>,” though seeming to tacitly acknowledge there was only one holiday that was celebrated with\u00a0a lit tree in December.<\/p>\n The US Air Force continued<\/a> its annual<\/a> tradition of supporting Operation Christmas Drop<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fairchild AFB managed to use the word “holiday”<\/a> five times in a single caption — and didn’t use “Christmas” once, despite referring to songs, trees, and Santa Claus, all on the base chapel lawn.<\/p>\n Anniston Army Depot participated in their annual “Christmas toy giveaway<\/a>” as part of the “Christmas Cheer program” — as described by the local paper, not an official military release.<\/p>\n The Idaho Guard’s annual “Holiday Assistance Program<\/a>” helped stock Christmas presents for local families.<\/p>\n Sailors at Pax River supported an Angel Tree for their “Holiday Gift Basket<\/a>” program.<\/p>\n The military postal service is supporting the delivery<\/a> of Christmas packages<\/a>, even in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Troops at Okinawa brought “Christmas cheer”<\/a> (as opposed to the “holiday cheer” in other places) to a local elderly community.<\/p>\n Kids at the Aliamanu Military Reservation in Hawaii were able to experience a “Winter Wonderland<\/a>” that included “Christmas” characters like Santa, The Grinch, and Disney’s Elsa and Anna (really?).<\/p>\n The 128th Air Refueling Wing acknowledged that many servicemembers wouldn’t “be home for Christmas<\/a>.”<\/p>\n In an interesting journalistic twist, a story about US troops bringing “holiday cheer” to a local Japanese orphanage<\/a>, the Air Force story was “tagged” with Christmas,<\/em> though it never actually mentioned<\/em> it.<\/p>\n Despite prior attacks from Michael “Mikey” Weinstein<\/a> over Christianity, the 136th Airlift Wing publicized how it supported Operation Christmas Child<\/a>, filling 75 boxes for Samaritan’s Purse.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
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