Team McChord hosts Deployed family dinner

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Divine Cox
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  The McChord Field Chapel staff along with Team McChord leadership and members of the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron hosted a deployed family dinner for more than 70 family members, Feb. 19 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

The dinner is conducted quarterly as a way to reach out to families of deployed service members and those service members who have just returned from a deployment.

"We know deployments are tough," said Lt. Col Gerald Snyder, Team McChord chaplain. "Doing something as small as supplying a night of dinner and entertainment for the spouses and children of a deployed Airman, makes a difference during the tough time apart from their loved one."

The event included a dinner for the families and service members, and entertainment for the children. To keep everyone entertained, there was face painting and two magicians who walked around doing magic.

"I am glad that I came out to the dinner," said the spouse of a deployed Airman. "The dinner is a free meal with no cooking or cleaning afterwards, so that brings great relief to any parent who has kids, knowing you can just eat and relax after dinner."

Chap. Snyder said an event like this could not have happened without the 62nd Aerial Port Squadron, who truly embraced the opportunity to take on the dinner and set everything up.

"Teaming up with the chapel and hosting the deployed family dinner allowed us an opportunity to express our gratitude for the many sacrifices that deployed families make on a daily basis," said 2nd Lt. Frank Marquette, 62nd APS air terminal operation center assistant flight commander. "We don't want the sacrifices these family members face every day to be overlooked."

To participate, that families did not have to do anything.  As long as the family's member spouse was deployed or the service member had recently returned from a deployment, all were welcome to come.

"My kids and I really had a good time," said the spouse of a deployed Airman. " I recommend any spouse of a deployed member to attend one of these dinners because the base really acknowledges the struggles families go through, and this event really relieves some of that stress us spouses have."

For more information on McChord Field Chapel sponsored events, contact the chapel at 982-5556.