JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
About 300 members of Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph
gathered to celebrate the holiday season during the annual Christmas tree
lighting ceremony Dec. 3 in Washington Circle.
The ceremony showcased the Randolph High School Band and
Randolph Elementary School Choir and a selection of classic holiday music
before a switch was flipped to illuminate the Christmas tree in Washington
Circle.
“Tonight was a great opportunity to remember what we’re
grateful for here at JBSA-Randolph,” Col. Matthew Isler, 12th Flying Training
Wing commander, said. “We are so grateful for the hardworking members here, the
local community that supports our missions and those deployed defending our
country. This event also provided the opportunity to support the families
separated by deployment during this holiday season.”
For Lt. Col. Daniel Paddock, 435th Fighter Training Squadron
instructor pilot, whose children helped flip the switch to light the tree; the
JBSA-Randolph Christmas tree lighting ceremony provided the opportunity to
experience a sense of community with fellow military members while his wife is
deployed.
“This is the first Christmas my wife has not been with our
family, but this event was so memorable for us and added some holiday cheer to
our lives,” Paddock said.
After the tree was lit, Santa Claus rode into Washington
Circle via a 502nd Civil Engineer Squadron fire engine to take pictures with
JBSA-Randolph children in the Clark Rotunda of the Taj, building 100.
“The purpose of this ceremony is to celebrate the holiday
season as a community,” Col. Michael Gimbrone, 502nd Security Forces and
Logistics Support Group commander, said. “Coming together as a community like
this reminds us of the important freedoms we possess, the military members
defending those freedoms abroad, and their families separated during the
holidays.”
Along with Santa Claus, the highlight of the Joint Base San
Antonio-Randolph tree lighting ceremony was the beautiful new 36-foot tree
located in JBSA-Randolph’s Washington Circle.