PACAF commander serves Thanksgiving meals

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Renee Lee
  • PACAF Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  Gen. Paul V. Hester, Pacific Air Forces commander, began his Thanksgiving Day serving the holiday's meal to numerous Airmen in Osan and Kunsan Air Bases, Republic of Korea Nov. 23.

Along with Maj. Gen. Edward Rice, PACAF vice commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Bishop, PACAF command chief, General Hester greeted surprised members of the Mustangs and the Wolf Pack behind the serving lines at the Gingko Tree and O'Malley Dining Facilities.

The reason was simple - to thank the Airmen for their dedication to the Air Force and the mission on the Korean peninsula.

Holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, and New Year's are special in people's lives, General Hester said.

"Air Force families take care of what blood families can't," he said.

As assignments to Osan and Kunsan are for one year, they are well-known across the Air Force to be challenging; the mission to help defend the host nation from North Korea results in a high operations tempo and high stress levels to maintain a constant state of readiness.

"Airmen must be prepared at a moment's notice on a daily basis," General Hester said. "They face an established enemy."

Most Airmen are also unaccompanied at both assignments, leaving them separated from their families and dependents usually for one year, often making the tours more challenging.

"It's natural to miss our blood families... it's okay to do that," said General Hester.

"It speaks volumes about his leadership," said Chief Master Sgt. Bishop. "For example, 100 percent of people (at Kunsan) are on an unaccompanied tour. That's why it's important to come here as their family."

"It's nice for him to come and visit us and it gives him a chance to meet all the Airmen." said Airman 1st Class Neal Short, 51st Security Forces Squadron.

Serving the meals and getting to know the Airmen were simply acts of gratitude, "only to say thank you," the general said.

"It shows that they really care about us, especially on an important day like this" said Senior Airman Jose Sierra, 51st Services Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing in Osan. "It shows that they take care of their people."

"It's always enlightening and educational when you sit around with the Airmen," General Hester said, who asked them of their personal family Thanksgiving traditions. "You gain richness...of customs that each family has."

This marked the third year General Hester served Thanksgiving meals to Airmen serving in the ROK.