Photo By Janecze Wright | Left, Spc. Jayden Gracia, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers volunteer, helps...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at The Great Place.
Just like in years past, the Fort Hood Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s annual Trees for Troops event provided 750 free farm-grown trees from as far away as Oregon and Virginia, courtesy of the Christmas Spirit Foundation and FedEx, to brighten up the holidays for Soldiers and their families.
Twenty-four Soldiers from the Fort Hood Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program donned festive Santa hats and off-loaded Christmas trees from FedEx trucks as hundreds of eager recipients stood in line at Phantom Warrior Stadium Friday to claim their holiday showpiece.
“With the holidays coming up it’s important for Soldiers to give back to the military community and their families, so this event is perfect for them,” said Spc. Joshua Enser, Fort Hood BOSS president.
Each year the event has grown in popularity and is a cherished occasion for the Fort Hood community.
“I’ve been doing this for 15 years, and we started out at Abrams gym and then of course it got too big for Abrams, so we moved it over here to the stadium because we started to get more trees; therefore, more of the community was able to be involved,” said Derrick Perry, sports director, DFMWR.
“It’s great because there’s a lot of service members that are from states that don’t have live trees, so this is a great opportunity for them,” Perry added.
The aroma of pine infused the air as junior-enlisted Soldiers and their families were first to make their way into the stadium and choose their trees — paying special attention to the characteristics of each before selecting the right one.
Pfc. Jacob Mendoza, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, and his wife Dianne Mendoza, arrived at the venue early and were first in line at the event.
“I just feel blessed to get a free Christmas tree,” Jacob said. “I feel cared for with them giving back to the Soldiers. We do so much for the country and help people out, and this is just a way you are giving back to us.”
Dianne agreed.
“I think there’s sometimes so much negativity around the military, and now to be able to experience it, it’s not so bad, and to have moments like this just makes it really great and it feels rewarding,” she said.
This is the couple’s first Christmas at The Great Place and they were in search of a tree to match the occasion.
While Jacob just wanted a full tree, Dianne was more specific.
“It has to look thick. I want like a skinny top, and like a more round bottom,” she described.
Choosing from rows of green Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes, the couple scanned the offerings before settling on their ideal tree.
With so many trees to choose from, making a final selection proved difficult, so BOSS volunteers were on hand to help.
Spc. Ritzy Gonzales, BOSS volunteer, said meeting new people was the most rewarding aspect of the event.
“It brings everyone together,” she said. “We get to stick with each other, helping each other and just motivating everyone to volunteer.”
Spc. Bryan Neal, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, and his wife, Joelle Neal, were less specific about appearance, and more grateful for the gesture.
“I think it’s kind of nice especially for morale ...,” Bryan said. “Some people have hard times and it kind of gives them a little bit more leverage on the holidays time. So, I believe it’s a little bit helpful.” Joelle agreed.
“The holidays can be really stressful so it’s really nice to have this taken off our shoulders,” she said.
In addition to a surprise visit from Santa Claus, Soldiers and family members were treated to well wishes and holiday greetings written on tags adorning each tree — many written by elementary school students.
The sentiment helps bridge the gap between Soldiers and military families and the communities thinking of them from miles away, Perry conveyed.
“It goes a long way,” he concluded.
| Date Taken: | 12.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.29.2025 15:46 |
| Story ID: | 555336 |
| Location: | TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Trees for Troops spreads joy one tree at a time, by Janecze Wright, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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