Joint base welcomes in the holidays

Photo By Rachel Larue | Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Commander Col. Mike Henderson pulls the candy-cane switch with children to light the tree during the JBM-HH Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony outside of Building 59 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base, Dec. 3, 2014. During the ceremony The U.S. Army Band Brass Quintet played and Santa Claus made an appearance. (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall PAO photo by Rachel Larue)  

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, UNITED STATES

12.03.2014

Story by Julia LeDoux 

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Commander Col. Mike Henderson receives countless texts a day on his government issued cellular phone. While most of those texts are classified, Henderson happily told a crowd gathered Dec. 3 for the annual holiday tree lighting ceremony about a message he received earlier in the day from someone of a higher rank than he holds.

“I wanted to let you know that Santa Claus texted me earlier today and said he’s going to try to drop by to say hello to everyone,” Henderson said, prompting a burst of applause from spectators gathered in front of Building 59 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base.

Henderson called December a very special month, a time “when we gather together with our family and friends to count our blessings and to celebrate the holidays,” and asked attendees to remember all deployed service members who are serving the nation in distant lands.

“The Department of Defense has troops deployed in more than 1,502 countries around the world,” he continued. “It is because of these brave men and women that we can celebrate the holidays in whatever tradition we choose and by gathering together as we have this evening.”

Lt. Col. Lawrence Dabeck, JBM-HH chaplain, provided the invocation before Henderson’s remarks. Members of The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” provided holiday music prior to and after the tree lighting. Assisting Henderson in lighting the tree were four children from Cody Child Development Center – Lander Chappell, 1; Donovan Ramos, 5; Asa Cozzens, 3; and Savannah Wigglesworth.

And true to his text to Henderson, Santa himself appeared within minutes of the tree lighting.

“My wish for the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall community is that everyone have a blessed and safe holiday season,” the Jolly Old Elf said before making his way to Brucker Hall, where he posed for pictures and heard whispered holiday wishes from dozens of youngsters.

“We come here every year,” said Robin Cordovez as she watched her son, Addison, 5, chat with Santa.

“I told him I wanted toys,” Addison said with a grin.

The ceremony was sponsored by JBM-HH Family, Morale and Recreation and the USO of Metropolitan Washington.

• Date Taken: 12.03.2014
• Date Posted: 12.15.2014 16:12
• Story ID: 150349
• Location: JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US