The battalion staff takes a group photo with Santa. Top row from left to right: Lt. Col. Steven Debusk, Sgt. Brittany Brim, 1st Lt. Genaro Morones, Pvt. Edward Shaw, Maj. John Kredo, Capt. Myron Johnson, 1st Lt. Vladimir Carrillo, and Capt. John Twit...

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 264th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion from Fort Bragg, N.C., celebrated the holiday season here with a number of events.

Santa Claus made an appearance in the battalion headquarters on Christmas Eve, and Soldiers had the opportunity to take pictures with Santa to send back to family and friends. Lt. Col. Steven Debusk, the 264th CSSB's commander, handed out gifts sent from his hometown of Elkton, Md.

Pvt. Edward Shaw, a radio transmitter operator from San Francisco, dressed up as Santa Claus.

"[Private] Shaw added his own twist as Santa Claus and added to the morale of the unit," said Pfc. Lee Phillips, a human resource specialist from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Additional stockings were delivered to each Soldier of the company from a Soldier's family and friends from St. Louis. The stockings were stuffed with everything from toothpaste and toothbrushes, to candy, lotion and hand sanitizer.

"Even though we are away from our families, we can still enjoy the holidays with our co-workers. Getting the stockings made me see how much the people we work with and their families back home care about me," said Spc. Brittney Sanlin, a human resource specialist from Belleville, Ill. "It really meant a lot."

The Headquarters Company ended the day with a holiday party with an abundance of food and treats.