LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Lackland celebrated its 10th Memorial Day Jam at the Lackland Air Force Base Amphitheater on May 25.
The event, hosted by the Team Lackland First Sergeants Council, featured a dunking booth, beach volleyball, flag football, a tug-of-war competition and a basketball tournament.
"The event was extremely successful," said Master Sgt. Emilio Avila, 344th Training Squadron.
More than 150 volunteers were on hand to serve pizza, burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, candy and an assortment of beverages to battle the summer heat.
With temperatures during the day reaching 101, dehydration was a concern for the first sergeants.
"We had medical personnel on the scene monitoring the event," said Sergeant Avila.
"We wanted to provide our students with some fun outside of the training atmosphere for a little while. They have certain restrictions as to what they can do. We are just providing a different avenue for them to have fun on base," Sergeant Avila said.
The four-hour event began at noon and was attended by 150 students from the Defense Language Institute English Language Center, 1,200 students in their third, fifth and sixth weeks of basic military training and more than 400 students in technical school.
Headed by Sergeant Avila, 35 first sergeants spent the last two-and-a-half months planning the event, which also included music and dancing.
"We had up-to-date music for the students, not any of that old school stuff," Sergeant Avila said.
Brig. Gen. Len Patrick, 37th Training Wing commander, Col. Edward Westermann, 737th Training Group commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Juan Lewis, 37th Training Wing command chief, volunteered to be dunked at the dunking booth.
General Patrick also organized a team to compete against the first sergeants and students in volleyball and the tug-of-war.
The first sergeants were aided by the Lackland Middle Managers and Airman's Voice groups, who helped run the booths at the event and helped maintain safety and regulations by roaming the grounds in golf carts.