Incirlik sends holiday cheer to Airmen, soldiers and NATO partners

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chase Hedrick
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  The Incirlik Combined Spouses Club added another consecutive year to a longstanding tradition, all while spreading joy to more people than before by including deployed U.S. and NATO troops this holiday season.

The Great Cookie Caper, an annual effort to bring home baked goods to Airmen away from family during the holidays, culminated in a day of bagging and delivery on Dec. 11. However, the 840 unaccompanied Airmen weren't the only ones who received goodies.

"The cookie caper is a way to bring holiday cheer to unaccompanied Airmen here at Incirlik," said Laura Holz, spouse of Lt. Col. David Holz, 39th Maintenance Squadron commander. "It's been going on for about 20 years, and we're now reaching out even further."

Airmen and soldiers passing through Incirlik AB while returning from deployments have also received cookies, said Carla Bigger, spouse of Col. Brent Bigger, 39th Air Base Wing vice commander.

"In the past we have met at the terminal just trying to say welcome back home because these are the people who have been downrange for six to 12 months," she said.

Now returnees aren't the only additions to unaccompanied Airmen, said Bigger. U.S. soldiers stationed nearby will also receive a taste of home as will the Dutch and German forces stationed on or near Incirlik AB who are also away from home and family.

"As a wing we have been working to involve all of our NATO allies in a partnership, so we also want to include them in our holiday events," said Bigger.

It took a large amount of people willing to dedicate time and effort to handle the massive number of cookies needed to support this endeavor, said Holz. She credited the Incirlik Commissary, first sergeants and ICSC members for the more than 7,300 cookies that were baked, stored, bagged and delivered.

"A big thanks to everybody who baked," said Holtz. "It really takes the entire community to make something this big happen."

The combined efforts of a community working hard to bring a little holiday spirit to those away from home and family is a tradition Team Incirlik can sink its teeth into.