JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — Soldiers from the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade participated in the annual Ruck March for Santa’s Castle, a non-profit organization, marching six miles from start to finish on Dec. 5, 2025, to deliver toys that will be distributed to military families in time for Christmas.
Soldiers decorated their rucksack with Christmas lights and dressed in holiday attire as they carried toys during the six-mile march, which consisted of a three-mile route to the Santa’s Castle donation center followed by a three-mile return. The early morning march combined holiday spirit along with physical readiness. The community-focused mission is centered around supporting troops and their families during the holiday season.
Santa’s Castle, which is entirely donor-funded and has over 250 volunteers on staff during the holiday season, is now in its 31st year of operation and is on track to give toys to 5,000 children this Christmas. The annual event supports children of Soldiers assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), as well as military families from all branches stationed around the installation. In the weeks leading up to the holiday season, multiple units across JBLM conducted ruck marches and assisted donation efforts in support of Santa’s Castle.
“I hope this event shows Soldiers that service extends beyond the mission and includes caring for the community around us. Supporting Santa’s Castle, a program with a 31-year history, highlights the importance of sustaining traditions that have a real, lasting impact on military families. This ruck march demonstrates that even small actions, when done with purpose, can make a meaningful difference.”
Said Capt. Colin Honeker, the 5TH Security Force assistance Brigade Public Affairs Officer.
Santa’s Castle has become a recurring event across the installation, with donations coming in year-round from the community as well as military units participating independently over several weeks to collect and deliver toys. Organizers said the distributed approach allows more service members to participate while ensuring a steady flow of donations throughout the holiday season.
“Every donor doesn’t just give a toy to be put on the shelf, but they give hope to our service members. It says your community is behind you, your community loves you, and we just can’t thank them enough for being part of our journey.”
Said Megan Williams, the communications director for Santa’s Castle.
The annual ruck march brings together Soldiers from the 5th SFAB and across the instillation in support of a long-standing holiday tradition, reinforcing teamwork and shared responsibility that goes beyond the unit level. Volunteers at Santa’s Castle coordinate the collection, transportation and sorting of toys, and prepare them for distribution to service members. The event concluded with donated toys being staged for military families to be able to come in and pick out as presents for their children, continuing an effort to the community at and around JBLM for over three decades.