46th Ops bring Christmas to local families in need

  • Published
  • By Samuel King Jr.
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Airmen of the 46th Operations Group made the season a little brighter for 14 local families in need Dec. 15.

The group's squadrons and staff along with Bruner Middle School adopted the families for the holidays and provided food and gifts for them. The families were identified by the school's guidance counselors to be in need and the only prerequisite was the children must have good grades.  This was the second year the group adopted families.

"It was very small event last year with a few families and it happened quickly," said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Boyer, 46th OG and event coordinator. "This year, we asked all the squadrons to be involved and they overwhelmingly responded."

Overwhelming is the right term to describe the amount of bags, wrapped presents and bikes that were brought into the school. Each family came into the school library and met with squadron Airmen and received their gifts.

Emotions took over when the families saw the bounty of goods the squadrons provided - hand-shakes at the beginning were upgraded to hugs by the end.

"They did such a great job with these gifts," said Emilio Cordero, Bruner's guidance counselor and 27-year military veteran. "There's no question, these families are very appreciative."

The 46th OG participants were: 413th Flight Test Squadron, 46th Test Squadron, 46th Flight Test Squadron, 780th Test Squadron, Weather Flight, 46th Operations Support Squadron, Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force and 46th OG staff.