Nellis community gathers for Thanksgiving meal Published Dec. 2, 2008 By 2nd Lt. Jen Richard Nellis AFB Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Members of the Nellis family gathered for a traditional Thanksgiving meal Nov. 27 at the Mountain View Dining Facility here. Approximately 350 active-duty servicemembers, retirees and dependents dined at the 2008 Thanksgiving Celebration, put on by the 99th Services Squadron. Brig. Gen. Stephen Hoog, United States Air Force Warfare Center commander, carved the turkey and helped serve Airmen and others in the food line. "This brings me back to when I was deployed over Thanksgiving about two years ago," General Hoog said. "This is an opportunity for me to show my appreciation to the Airmen who can't be with their families for Thanksgiving." A wing commander and several group commanders, squadron commanders, command chiefs and first sergeants also worked shifts serving the Thanksgiving meal. Chaplain John Shipman, 99th Air Base Wing, said the blessing and reminded everyone to remember the spirit of the holiday. "'On Thanksgiving Day, we recognize our dependence,'" said the chaplain, quoting William Jennings Bryan. "Certainly that means, to me, that we are dependent on God and each other for all the freedoms that we enjoy in this nation." Diners could choose from shrimp cocktail, salad, turkey, beef, ham, potatoes, pumpkin pie and more. The Thanksgiving Celebration was free for all meal-card holders. "This is very good for the base to provide for the Airmen because most of the people here have been pulled away from their families," said Staff Sgt. Victor Ross, an Air Force Reservist with the 99th Civil Engineer Squadron. "They can come here [to the Thanksgiving Celebration] to get some fellowship with other Airmen in the same position." Retirees also came to the dining facility for their Thanksgiving meals. "This is a tradition for me," said Jack Bolen, a retired Air Force senior master sergeant. Mr. Bolen, a former first sergeant, lives in the local area and has no extended family living nearby. Members of 99th Services Squadron food service team worked through the night and early morning to make the Thanksgiving Celebration a reality. "We ran a midnight meal for the workers, and we started prep work around midnight or 1 a.m.," said 1st Lt. Mike Seebeck, 99th Services Squadron food services officer. "There is a lot of prep work that goes on behind the scenes to get everything ready." The 99th Services Squadron will also host the 2008 Holiday Meal for the Nellis community on Dec. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mountain View Dining Facility. For more information, call 652-6743.
