A thankful Air Force family

by Brig. Gen. Mark Dillon
86th Airlift Wing commander

The Thanksgiving holiday is synonymous with spending time with family and friends to celebrate the year’s blessings.

 While serving overseas, many of you are away from your immediate families during this holiday, but as Airmen, you are a part of one of the largest and most respected families in the world – the military family. By the nature of our calling, we are brothers and sisters in arms, embodying the warrior spirit and bonded by a proud heritage.

Our military family tree has many branches. The broad limbs near the trunk represent our sister services and coalition partners for whom we have been working beside to defeat terrorism for the past eight years. Over the course of this lengthy campaign, Airmen are serving valiantly in combat roles alongside Soldiers, Sailors and Marines.

The Air Force branch of our military family includes active-duty, Reserve, National Guard and civilian Airmen, our family members, and our retired heroes. Together, our Airmen family kinfolk work seamlessly to sustain the world’s most dominant air, space and cyberspace power. Within the Air Force, tightly knit unit families accomplish the mission by means of trust, professionalism and technical expertise. It is these family principles that have enabled us to overcome every challenge we’ve faced in our 62-year history.

As with any family, the military family shares life’s highs and lows. Through the accessions, promotions, separations and retirements, we are there for one another.

As the 86th Airlift Wing and the KMC commander, I get to share these moments with you, and I am thankful for the way all of Team Ramstein pulls together to celebrate the good times and support each other during the challenging times.

With everything you do here, Team Ramstein exemplifies Airmen taking care of Airmen and that great Air Force family spirit.

I salute each and every one of you for serving this great nation. We have much to be thankful for and the Dillon family would like to wish all of Team Ramstein family a happy and safe Thanksgiving. May God continue to bless our Air Force and its outstanding families.