Cookie drop

More than 1,200 cookies bags lay ready for filling during the preparations for the annual Commando Cookie Drop on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Dec. 17, 2012. The bags were decorated by local elementary school students and were used to deliver more than 15,000 cookies to young Airmen throughout the base. (U.S. photo by Senior Airman Kentavist P. Brackin)

Cookie drop

Volunteers from the Hurlburt Spouses Club pick cookies from more than a dozen assortments of baked goods to place in decorated paper bags during preparations for the annual Commando Cookie Drop on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Dec. 17, 2012. Volunteers divided more than 15,000 cookies into approximately 1,200 bags to be presented to single Airmen who live in the on-base dormitories. (U.S. photo by Senior Airman Kentavist P. Brackin)

Cookie drop

Cookie bags were placed on beds, tables, and under Christmas trees of single Airmen during the annual Commando Cookie Drop on Hurlburt Field, Fla., Dec. 17-18, 2012. First segerants of various units throughout Hurlburt Field briefly took on the role of Santa Claus during the event to deliver holiday treats to Hurlburt personnel who reside in the dormitories. (U.S. photo by Senior Airman Kentavist P. Brackin)

Cookies deliver a taste of home

Published Dec. 20, 2012
By Staff Sgt. William Banton
1st Special Operations Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD Fla. -- Santa's elves visited Hurlburt Field's dorm residents Dec. 17-18, in the form of squadron first sergeants delivering Air Commandos a "taste of home."

This year's "Commando Cookie Drop" brought together volunteers from the 1st Special Operations Wing and across the Emerald Coast communities. Together they baked and packaged more than 15,000 cookies, which were delivered in more than 1200 bags to dorm residents by base first sergeants.

"The best moments are the times when I get to make Airmen happy by giving them good things and one of the easiest ways to an Airman's heart is baked goods," said Master Sgt. Sonia Poulin, first sergeant for the 1st Special Operations Comptroller Squadron and Wing Staff Agencies. "Usually I'm sitting in my office trying to take care of admin work so being able to do something good and to give back to the Airmen is what I would do every single day if I could."

The cookie drop, organized with the support of the base chapel and Hurlburt Spouses Club, consisted of homemade treats made by active-duty and retired military personel, spouses, church groups, and other civic leaders for single Airmen.

"The cookie drive is a favorite of the base families and the community each year," said Gwendolyn Slife, Hurlburt Spouse Club representative. "It gives us an opportunity to say thank you to the young single Airmen who are away from families for the holidays, [some] for the first time and it allows us to let them know they have a family on base."

Volunteers spent the morning of the drive sorting at least a dozen of a variety of cookies into decorative bags made by local elementary school children.

"I think events like these are especially important on Hurlburt Field because this is one of the most deployed wings in the air force," said Slife. "We ask so much of these young airmen all the time so anything we can do to let them know how special they are is important. "