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Hey readers, welcome back! I’m Mikie P, and I just want to thank everyone who makes time every month to read Take 5. As you know, the whole premise for starting Take 5 was to highlight some of the unique jobs the men, women, Soldiers and Civilians of U.S. Army Forces Command do every day.
In this final post of 2024, I’m breaking my own rules about who’s typically highlighted and including this guy as a special holiday edition. Why? Because his alter ego is not only recognized the world over, but he also takes such pride in what he does that his story is definitely worth telling. So, buckle-up, settle in, grab a cup of cocoa, and read all about a mere human who chooses to take on the role of one of our most beloved holiday icons just because he loves doing it.
Okay, so I have to admit something. When I first started working at FORSCOM headquarters, I remember seeing him for the first time when I was walking into the building one morning. I remember smiling really big and actually shouting out, “Santa!” There’s just something about seeing him that flings you right back to childhood. The white hair and beard just made me laugh, and while anyone else who saw me may have thought I was a crazy lady, Max Kuhns just smiled at me.
“It happens all the time,” said Max. “If someone hollers Santa, I will look! I’ve even been at Myrtle Beach and people have hollered it out!”
Now that you know Max Kuhns looks like Santa, let’s dig a little deeper into how and why he’s come to totally embrace everything the old fellow is about.
Max spent 27 years total in military service. He’s now a Training Administrator on the FORSCOM G3 Training team and has served 11 years thus far, as a Civilian. His first foray into being Santa was via a request.
“When I was at Fort Benning (Fort Moore) and a captain with the 4th Ranger Training Battalion, someone asked me to be Santa, and I said I’d do it,” said Max. “When I said yes, they made my eyebrows white, and I put on a fake beard and costume, and they brought me in on a firetruck,” he said.
Retirement changed Max’s portrayal of Santa in many ways, though. His hair was already white, but he grew out his beard, and his wife sewed him a costume. Now, you’d think that was all that was needed for him to play the role of Santa, but no. Becoming Santa went far beyond what he looked like on the outside.
“I learned everything I could about Santa,” said Max. “I studied who Saint Nicholas was, I learned that Sinterklaas is different from St. Nick and even Father Christmas,” he said. “They’re all different, so I read about all of them to be knowledgeable.”
Becoming Santa also required Max to pay attention to details that an everyday run-of-the-mill Santa probably wouldn’t even think about.
“You gotta be super careful of everything you do as Santa,” said Max, “I always make certain there’s no way anyone sees me going into or out of the washroom or eating any Christmas treats,” he said. “I also never promise kids I’ll bring them anything and just let them know they’ll like what they get under the tree.”
Requests for specifics things by children to Santa is something Max said spans a wide spectrum. It’s also d to difficult sometimes, to hear some of the things children ask for.
“I had a kid ask me for a dolphin before which was funny,” he said, “but some of the hardest requests I was unprepared for were by kids with a deployed parent or who lost a family member or family pet,” said Max. “Those are the tough ones, but I always make sure that any kid that has contact with me as Santa Claus has nothing but the best Santa Claus experience they can have.”
Another important part about being Santa is recognizing that families aren’t always as traditional as they used to be. Max says you can’t just assume that a couple of grownups coming up to you with children is mom and dad or husband and wife, so that’s why when I talk to kids, I tell them to be good and to listen to the adults in their life.
“It’s stuff like that I would never have thought of, but as Santa Claus, you don’t want to be wrong,” said Max. “You also don’t want to have kids fear you and think you’re going to punish them because they’re on the naughty list,” he said. “I always reassure every kid that they’re on the nice list.”
When I asked Max if there was one thing he’d like to see more of in the world, he answered my question both as a former Army leader, and as Santa.
“Kindness is the leadership trait that is not represented in our schooling for Army officers and noncommissioned officers,” said Max. “Professional schooling doesn’t list kindness as a trait, and I think that’s so important and something Santa would like to see taught,” he said. “Kindness is truly the one thing that really cements humans together.”
I agree with Max. If you make it a point to practice kindness year-round, you’ll never have to worry about getting coal in your stocking or worry about being on the naughty list. As we celebrate this holiday season, remember too, that Santa is always watching you even if no one else is around.
“Santa knows everything and sees everything and wants you to be good not just at Christmas time, but every, single, day,” said Max.
Thank you so very much for your service to FORSCOM Max, and thank you too, for embracing and embodying all the goodness that is Santa Claus. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone in the FORSCOM family.
| Date Taken: | 11.26.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2024 10:27 |
| Story ID: | 486167 |
| Location: | FORT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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