Photo By 1st Lt. Anna Doo | More than 2,000 mouths were fed during a special lunch on Camp Bondsteel Nov. 24....... read more read more
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - More than 2,000 hungry mouths were fed Nov. 24 at the dining facility on Camp Bondsteel during a nearly three-hour rush of out-the-door lines of hungry troops awaiting the scrumptious dishes.
The dining facility was decked out in handcrafted scenes harkening to the original Thanksgiving dinner between the pilgrims and Native Americans shared so long ago. Adding to the visual appeal of the room were five intricate cakes and more pies than one could count, covering every available surface not being used by diners.
The traditional trimmings were all available including turkey, ham, beef, mashed potatoes, sweet candied yams, dressing, stuffing, collard greens, corn and an assortment of salad and bread. Slices of pumpkin, pecan, Boston cream, and cheesecake pies were up for grabs next to segments of cake and individual sized confections as well.
The assortment of uniforms was a feast for eyes just as the assortment of flavors was a feast for the palate.
Multinational troops comprising Multinational Battle Group East; Kosovo Forces 14 soldiers, Kosovo Forces 15 soldiers, civilian employees, and local staff with their families filled the dining hall to capacity.
Camp Bondsteel’s own musical ensemble, Bandsteel, performed an assortment of music to entertain the crowd. Traditional Albanian songs mixed in with American-style Christmas tunes and more served as the backdrop for the festivities.
Maj. Gen. David Elmo, U.S. Army Europe G3, traveled to Kosovo for the day in order to serve food to the hungry troops as a show of support for the soldiers stationed here.
“I’ve asked to come down here to serve last year and this year. I enjoy the mission here [in Kosovo]. The soldiers here are all part of my family,” Elmo said. “My favorite thing to do on Thanksgiving is to reflect on the things we have in our lives. The best food at Thanksgiving is the cranberries.”
Many of the MNBG E staff served alongside him and his staff, as did the Area Support Team commander, Col. Steven Campfield, and the Morale, Welfare and Recreation director, Renee Favors.
Col. James Wong, U.S. Army Europe, Senior Army National Guard Advisor and one of those serving, said, “This is the best opportunity to engage with the soldiers and it’s a pleasure for us to give back to the service members.”
The festive atmosphere served to welcome in the new rotation of U.S. troops, KFOR 15, as well as offer an appropriate send off for KFOR 14 who will be completing their deployment by Christmas.
Even though all the soldiers are far from their families and their homes, many celebrated the holiday with their second families – their soldier family. Happy Holidays!
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2011 03:46 |
| Story ID: | 80567 |
| Location: | CAMP BONDSTEEL, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 109 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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