Photo By Master Sgt. Carlotta Holley | Senior Airman Aisha Reese, 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron aircrew flight equipment...... read more read more
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CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti -- Air Force personnel make up a small percentage of the populace here, but more than 200 Air Force members have not been forgotten by students from Millersville University, Pa. this holiday season.
Kiel Sigafoos, son of first sergeant Senior Master Sgt. Alan Sigafoos of the 449th Air Expeditionary Group, saw his family members sending packages and letters to the Airmen and decided he wanted to do something as well.
"Everyone in my family was sending care packages and letters to my father, and although he would share with everyone, I just wanted to do something for what the men and women are doing over there," said Sigafoos. "Also, I wanted to show my peers that doing something as nice as just writing letters, can really make the day of an Airman who receives it."
Sigafoos arranged for the Millersville Student Senate, the college Republicans and other students to write holiday messages on each card sent to his father. Kiel Sigafoos put a motion to the student senate.
"I made a motion for them to help me write the cards and the motion passed without any hesitation," said Sigafoos.
But Sigafoos didn't stop there; he gathered further guidance from another school organization. He found more support from the Millersville University College Republicans.
"There were also a few other individuals who saw me writing out some of the cards and they just asked if they could help make one or two and I was more than happy for their assistance," said Sigafoos.
With father and son separated by half a world, they coordinated efforts to ensure every Air Force member had a hand-written card addressed to them.
"I sent Kiel the roster of people that were going to be here over the holidays, so that they could make sure that every person had their name on a card," said the first sergeant. "I appreciate the Millersville Student Senate and the college Republicans for their hard work and for making more than 200, specific by name, holiday cards."
Sigafoos began distributing the holiday cards out to Airman Dec. 29. One of the first groups to received the holiday cards were the maintainers of the 81st Air Expeditionary Rescue Squadron.
"These men and women are away from their families and, although they make their own family while they are over there, it is still important that they are aware that they have support from the States," said Sigafoos.
Airmen crowded around as the holiday cards were passed out. Airman 1st Class Steven Wilson, 81st ERQS engine maintainer, currently deployed from Moody AFB, Ga. was the first to receive his card. As more and more Airmen received their cards, laughter began to fill the room.
"It's nice, I do like it," said Wilson. "It's refreshing to know that other people think about us, other than our families."
The students of Millersville University have shown that the Airmen stationed in Africa are not forgotten.
"I believe that it is important that military members are never forgotten, no matter what time of the year it is," said Sigafoos.
| Date Taken: | 12.30.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 12.30.2009 05:27 |
| Story ID: | 43280 |
| Location: | CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ |
| Web Views: | 695 |
| Downloads: | 607 |
This work, Millersville University Students Remember Deployed Air Force Personnel, by SSgt Ronald Lafosse, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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