NAF hosts early Thanksgiving

  • Published
  • By Chief Petty Officer Brian Naranjo
  • Naval Air Facility Misawa
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Naval Air Facility Misawa officers and chiefs showed their appreciation for the Sailors and civilians who help the Navy meets its mission here, by hosting an annual pre-Thanksgiving luncheon feast, Friday, Nov. 21.

Khaki leaders bought and prepared more than 1,000 pounds of food, including dozens of turkeys, hams, dressing, bread, vegetables and an assortment of home-style pies. The food was set up in a Navy aircraft maintenance hangar, and at exactly 11 a.m., a hungry crowd of Sailors, Japanese and American civilian employees began to file in.

Chiefs and officers presented them with heaping plates of piping hot food. The guests gathered and ate their food at one of several nearby tables in the hangar, washing it all down with tea, soft drinks or water.

In less than two hours, an estimated 600 people were fed, according to event co-organizer Chief Petty Officer Danny Kenney.

Chief Kenney said he and the other chiefs and officers were glad to provide the complimentary meal, and that it was only a small token of thanks for what the Sailors and civilians do on a daily basis.

"We do this every year," he explained. "It's our way of telling these Sailors, contractors, DoD employees, and Japanese civilians that we care, and that they are greatly appreciated. We couldn't do it without them."

More than 30 officers and chiefs were on-hand to help serve food, cut meat, and replenish the buffet line. Dozens more helped out by buying and cooking the food, according to Chief Kenney.

"It's not a chief function; not an officer function," he said. "It's a khaki function, and I'm proud to be a part of this. I just wish we could do it more than once a year."

For one Sailor, who only recently arrived to Misawa, the meal was a welcome change from the frozen and fast food he'd been eating.

Petty Officer 1st Class Jerry Gramling only recently moved to NAF Misawa, to work in air operations.

With his household goods still on the way from his previous duty station, the Sailor said he was pleased at the opportunity to sit down with members of his new command, and dig in to the lunch.

"The food was great," he said, looking down at his empty plate. "And even better, the khaki community put this together for us. It just really shows that they see us as more than a workforce. They actually care about us as people. It makes me even gladder to be here."