SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Seymour Johnson’s First Sergeants Council provided frozen turkeys to Airmen as a part of Operation Warm Heart at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Nov. 18, 2021.
A total of 200 turkeys were given away to Airmen from across the base in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“It can be lonely being away from your family on Thanksgiving,” said Master Sgt. Sean Cassy, 4th Munitions Squadron first sergeant. “Being able to make sure families here have good meals on their table for Thanksgiving is very important.”
Operation Warm Heart is a nonprofit charity program that is ran by the first sergeant council to provide relief for Airmen by supporting deployments, raising money for scholarships, emergency funds, and meals to Airmen in need.
“Every day we get together and try to make the lives of Airmen on this installation as best as it can be,” said Cassy. “As first sergeants, we are always trying to find ways to connect with our Airmen and help find things to better their lives both on and off duty.”
The turkey drive is just one such avenue the first sergeants use to improve their Airmen’s lives but the event wouldn’t have been possible without support from the local community.
“It’s so humbling to see everything the community is willing to do to make sure that our Airmen who get up every day, put on the uniform and put their lives on the line for the country are taken care of,” said Cassy.
The support from both the first sergeants and the community didn’t go unnoticed by the recipients of the free turkeys.
“Thanksgiving is the time of year for being grateful for everything you have,” said Airman 1st Class, Nathan Lonski, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment technician. “Receiving a turkey is nice, because we can still be with our friends and our family.”
Airmen 1st Class Cason Sawyer, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment technician received a turkey.
“It feels like we have a big air force family,” said Sawyer. “The Air Force cares about you.”