Team Travis Operation Candy Drop a success

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Lenora Cook
  • Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Southwest Asia/15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Operation Candy Drop, a drive to collect and deliver holiday candy to Iraqi and Afghani military members and children by U.S. military members started Nov. l at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. It then continued in the Central Command area of responsibility through the New Year.

The inspiration for the candy drive came from "The Candy Bomber," retired Col. Gail Halvorsen, the famous Berlin Airlift pilot who delivered candy to children via tiny parachutes during the post-World War II blockade of Berlin.

The spirit of the Candy Bomber lives today through the efforts of the Bare Base Boots and Global Gladiator Booster Clubs at Travis. These clubs enrich the lives of children and military members by allowing them to experience something near and dear to every child and many military members: Candy!

In the first week of November, Lori Welch, spouse of Maj. Ted Welch from the 570th Global Mobility Squadron, part of the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis, mailed more than 500 pounds of candy to members of Team Travis deployed to the Combined Air and Space Operations Center in Southwest Asia. After considering different options on how to deliver the candy, a team from the Air Mobility Division, led by Lt. Col. Lenora Cook, Chief, Aeromedical Evacuation Control Team,
packaged and readied the candy for delivery in stockings and holiday bags.

Col. Steve Arquiette, Travis' 60th Air Mobility Wing commander, currently deployed as the Deputy Director of Mobility Forces, agreed to lend a hand in getting the candy on its way.

The U.S. Central Command Air Force Band "Hot Brass" also jumped at the opportunity to help deliver the packages during their holiday performances at bases in Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.

As he handed off the boxes to the band, Colonel Arquiette said, "The Candy Bomber has often said that the human body can live for many days without food and water, but without hope, one's soul will quickly die. In a similar fashion that the Candy Bomber brought hope to the children in war-torn Berlin, Operation Candy Drop will bring hope to the children and deployed military members in [the Area of Responsibility]. They too will know that people care and are working hard to create an opportunity for a much brighter future."

"Hot Brass" performed throughout Afghanistan for coalition forces and local communities and delivered candy to their audiences along their way to the Candy Drops' final destination - an orphanage in Manas, Kyrgyzstan.

"Col. Tony Hinen, 615th Contingency Response Wing commander, and all of Team Travis, can be very proud of the hard work and dedication that made this year's Operation Candy Drop a success," said Col. Arquiette.