First sergeants and Commissary team up to deliver Thanksgiving meals to Airmen

Courtesy Photo | Master Sgt. Erin Henning, 388th Maintenance Group first sergeant, poses next to a trunk full of Thanksgiving food items Nov. 20, 2020, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Operation Warm Heart, a first sergeant’s program, teamed with the commissary to deliver bags filled with turkeys, hams and other goods items to assist Airmen and their families with the upcoming holiday. (Courtesy photo)  

HILL AFB, UT, UNITED STATES

11.25.2020

Story by Todd Cromar 

Hill Air Force Base

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- First sergeants and the Commissary at Hill Air Force Base teamed up once again to provide those who may be in need of a little extra help this year with the means to have a happy Thanksgiving.

Operation Warm Heart is a longstanding Air Force first sergeants program aimed at helping Airmen and their families throughout the year.

Through the program, the base’s first sergeants worked closely with the Commissary to plan, organize and distribute all the fixings for tasty Thanksgiving meals to families in need.

Ricardo Edelman, Hill AFB Commissary store manager, said this year’s operation was organized a little differently because of the pandemic, but with close coordination and planning, it was a successful endeavor.

“The operation started over two months ago with ordering turkeys and ham’s, and then preparing food items that were purchased and donated by our regular customers,” said Edelman. “The complete meals were then assembled into individual baskets by the store’s staff and distributed to units throughout the base by the first sergeants.”

Any additional food items go to the chapel, food banks and the Red Cross for veteran families.

Master Sgt. Jacob Arbogast, 729th Air Control Squadron and Team Hill’s Operation Warm Heart president, said 281 turkeys, hams and baskets were given out this year.

“2020 has been a rough year for all of us during the COVID crisis, so seeing the smiles and sense of relief on our Airmen’s faces makes it all worthwhile,” said Arbogast. “Being able to give back to those who needed it most is extremely rewarding.”

• Date Taken: 11.25.2020
• Date Posted: 11.25.2020 11:57
• Story ID: 383808
• Location: HILL AFB, UT, US