Holiday message from COL Lloyd

Photo By Maj. Travis Mueller | Santa Claus and helpers wave to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, operated by Soldiers with Bravo Company, 3-238th General Support Aviation Battalion, 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, as it leaves an airfield in the 28th ECAB's area of operations in the Middle East. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Justin Thomas)  

KUWAIT

12.21.2020

Story by Capt. Travis Mueller 

28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade

Transcript of holiday video message from Col. Howard Lloyd, commander of the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade:

Good afternoon from Kuwait,

What a fantastic time of the year it is!

As we enter this holiday season, I know how tough it is for all of us both home and abroad, as we try to celebrate as we are separated from our loved ones.

But one of the things I find comforting is our whole mission, why we are here. When you look at it, we joined our regional partners in creating an environment conducive to everlasting peace and prosperity throughout the region. And I’ll tell you, I am so proud of our Soldiers. From the fixed wing unit stationed down here in Kuwait to the attack battalion up north, to our coalition partners from Italy and Spain, they are exceeding all expectations.

They are getting in to the holiday spirit. The command team and I were able to go up to the most northern part of the region and visit four sites last week. Then just a couple days ago, we were able to go all the way down to the most southern part of our region to visit the Soldiers down there. As we traveled around [we noticed the Soldiers] decorating their shops, workspaces and their offices. I walked into one of the hangars and the Soldiers there are getting pretty creative. They literally got a wooden pallet and shaped it into the shape of a Christmas tree and started to decorate it with pieces and parts that they found around the hangar.

The care packages we are receiving from home from loved ones, churches and agencies around the United States are overwhelming. It’s clogging up the mail system in a way so it’s delaying the package delivery a little bit, but we have stockings hung everywhere…it’s amazing. Most of the bases are joining in the festivities.

Just like at Thanksgiving, we are planning on having a Christmas dinner here for all of our Soldiers no matter where they’re located.

To everybody at home, I wish you a great holiday season. The new year is going to be here before you know it and we are still on schedule to come home in late spring. So until that time, if you have any questions please reach out. Let us know what we can do to support you.

God bless, God speed, Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year

• Date Taken: 12.21.2020
• Date Posted: 12.28.2020 07:15
• Story ID: 385854
• Location: KW