JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Service members, civilian employees, families and community members gathered outside 11th Airborne Headquarters on Dec. 2 as Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson marked the start of the Christmas season with its annual tree-lighting ceremony.
The ceremony featured holiday music, family activities and an appearance by Santa Claus before the official tree lighting signaled the start of seasonal celebrations on base.
U.S. Air Force Col. Lisa Mabbutt, JBER installation and 673d Air Base Wing commander, shared with the community how the joint team’s unity and readiness defined the past year across the installation.
“It has been an incredibly busy year here at JBER with expected and unexpected challenges,” Mabbutt said. “Together, we have knocked it out of the park, and no one knows better than Col. Jimmy Howell how important this joint team is to projecting power across multiple theaters, to producing ready Airmen and Soldiers for a ready base and ready community.”
Mabbutt emphasized the strength of partnerships between the 673d Air Base Wing and the 11th Airborne Division, noting the teamwork that supports the installation’s mission across Alaska and the broader region.
“We couldn’t ask for better partners,” she said. “This is a team effort and I’m always proud to share the load.”
U.S. Army Col. Jimmy Howell, commander of the 2nd Brigade, 11th Airborne Division, followed Mabbutt’s remarks by thanking families for their support and reflecting on the significance of the holiday season.
“This is a special time of year to kick off the holiday season,” Howell said. “I just want to express how thankful we are for all of you.”
The ceremony, organized annually by the 773d Force Support Squadron, is a longstanding JBER tradition, bringing servicemembers, civilian employees, families and the broader community together each year to celebrate.