Thanksgiving

A child from the Buckley community helps set up table displays for the Thanksgiving meal at the chapel Nov. 25, 2015, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. The Buckley First Sergeants Council, Buckley Top Three and Buckley Spouses Group helped organize and put on the Thanksgiving meal for Team Buckley members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski/Released)

Thanksgiving

A member of the Buckley Spouses Group sets up table décor for the Thanksgiving meal at the chapel Nov. 25, 2015, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. The Buckley First Sergeants Council, Buckley Spouses Group and Buckley Top Three helped organize and put on the Thanksgiving meal for Team Buckley members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski/Released)

Thanksgiving

Col. John Wagner, 460th Space Wing commander, serves a Team Buckley member Nov. 26, 2015, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. Buckley AFB leadership, along with the Buckley Spouses Group and the Buckley First Sergeants Council, organized and served members of Team Buckley at the chapel on Thanksgiving Day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski/Released)

Thanksgiving

Chief Master Sgt. Brian Kruzelnick, 460th Space Wing command chief, prepares a turkey to be served to members of Buckley AFB Nov. 26, 2015, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. Buckley AFB leadership, along with the Buckley Spouses Group and the Buckley First Sergeants Council, organized and served members of Buckley AFB who didn’t have a place to go on Thanksgiving. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski/Released)

Thanksgiving

Base leadership, along with members of the Buckley Spouses Group and the Buckley First Sergeants Council, pose for a photo Nov. 26, 2015, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. Leadership, along with the two organizations, prepared a Thanksgiving meal for Team Buckley members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski/Released)

Buckley community enjoys a Thanksgiving feast

Published Nov. 30, 2015
By Airman 1st Class Luke W. Nowakowski
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The room was decorated with deep reds, oranges and yellows. Turkey bobble heads along with acorns were lined down the center of each table in order to give off a fun and festive feel. The smell of mashed potatoes, freshly cooked turkey and pumpkin pie filled the air. Walking to the serving line, wing leadership met each Team Buckley member with a smile and enthusiasm to make sure they left with a full stomach and sense of family.

The annual Team Buckley Thanksgiving Day Feast was held at the chapel Nov. 26, 2015, on Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

The Feast was held for families of deployed members, people in billeting, new arrivals to base, on shift personnel and their families, retirees and dorm residents, said Chief Master Sgt. Brian Kruzelnick, 460th Space Wing command chief.

"In the military we make many sacrifices one of those sacrifices is leaving our families, whether it is leaving our hometown and family to be in the military or deploying and leaving our family behind," said Master Sgt. Robert Hotzfeld, 460th Medical Group first sergeant. "It felt good to know that we were providing a meal and fellowship to our military members and their families."

The feast was organized by the Buckley Spouses Group, Buckley First Sergeants Council and Top Three and served over 250 people on Thanksgiving.

"Thanksgiving is about fellowship," Kruzelnick said. "It truly warmed my heart to see all the military members, past and present, and their families come to share this day with one another. We all laughed, shared stories and watch the Carolina Panthers stay undefeated against the Dallas Cowboys. What a great day it was. When we started the day, we didn't exactly know the names of everyone we'd be cooking for, but by the end we were all family. It's truly a blessing to be a military member."

The Buckley Spouses Group, along with the Buckley First Sergeants Council, made sure to have the chapel ready by setting up the day before Thanksgiving to make the environment warm and seasonal with festive décor and centerpieces.

"The Buckley Spouses Group did an incredible job decorating the entire room to set the stage for this wonderful day," Kruzelnick said. "Even senior leaders were hands-on, with Col. Rose Jourdan, 460th Mission Support Squadron commander, displaying her culinary skills, and Col. John Wagner, 460th Space Wing commander, serving and leading the cleanup crew. Every commander, senior enlisted leader and member of Team Buckley were instrumental in bringing Thanksgiving to Buckley's front door. I'm truly proud to be a part of this incredible installation."