Photo By Charles Borsos | U.S. Air Force electrical systems journeymen Senior Airman Timofei Sennikov and Airman...... read more read more
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BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- For most, putting the star on the top of the tree might mean pulling out a step ladder. For the 9th Civil Engineer Squadron’s (CES) electrical systems shop at Beale, things are a little bigger and calls for a bucket truck and plenty of teamwork.
Michael Davis, a 9th CES high voltage electrician, has been decorating the large evergreen tree near the Recce Point club for a while now-- and he takes this yuletide tradition seriously. “It’s a big deal for me because I’ve been doing it for 20 years.”
Located in the Central Valley, Beale Air Force Base rarely sees snow. But Davis believes this annual tree-trimming brings the holiday spirit, “It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without snow,” said Davis. “But this, this makes it feel like Christmas.”
Each year, Davis and the CES electrical crew make sure that the tree is ready for the annual tree lighting ceremony.
With Davis’s direction from down on the ground, in the bucket of an aerial lift truck, U.S Air Force Senior Airman Timofei Sennikov and Airman Elijah Perry, 9 CES electrical systems journeymen, meticulously shape the tree with an electric hedge trimmer.
After finishing manicuring the tree, the crew brought out strings and strings of lights, making sure to check each before they ended up on the tree far above the ground.
On the night of the lighting, a crowd enjoying hot chocolate and cookies gathered around the tree as darkness descended over Beale at an event hosted by the Chaplain Corps' Spiritual ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) Program. Even Santa Claus joined in on the festivities, hitching a ride on the back of one of Beale’s fire engines.
After remarks by the 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander and the Chaplain Corps, everyone rang in the start of the holiday season with a countdown, “five, four, three, two one,” and with that the plunger was pressed and the tree came alive with light.
The children within the Beale community seemed especially impressed with the display.
Back when they were setting up, Davis recalled his own childhood: “Growing up in the military, everything is big and awesome. And to a kid, that’s huge,” he said pointing at the tree. “[The families] get to come over here and walk around and look at the lights … what they have is going to be memories of this Christmas tree.”
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.11.2024 15:13 |
| Story ID: | 487244 |
| Location: | BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Team Beale continues winter tradition of trimming holiday tree, by Charles Borsos, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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