Senior NCOs say thanks to junior enlisted across USAG Bavaria

By Julian TembladorJuly 7, 2022

Editor's Note: This article was originally published November 2021 by Julian Temblador.

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Senior NCOs say thanks to junior enlisted across USAG Bavaria
U.S. Army senior NCOs put together Thanksgiving thank you bags for their selected junior enlisted service members. They were selected to receive the Thanksgiving groceries for their performance, service and sacrifices. (Photo Credit: Julian Temblador) VIEW ORIGINAL

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — USO Bavaria conducted its fifth annual Thanks for Thanksgiving program on Saturday, Nov. 20. In collaboration with DeCA Grafenwoehr Commissary and Service Credit Union, senior NCOs from the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria footprint prepared and provided over 350 Thanksgiving thank you bags for their service members.

According to Carly Harris, the USO Bavaria area director, this program recognizes junior enlisted service members for their outstanding performance, service and sacrifices. This program also aims to strengthen the relationship between the senior NCO and their junior counterparts.

Senior NCOs say thanks to junior enlisted across USAG Bavaria
U.S. Army senior NCOs put together Thanksgiving thank you bags for their junior enlisted service members. They were selected to receive the Thanksgiving groceries for their performance, service and sacrifices (Photo Credit: Julian Temblador ) VIEW ORIGINAL

“It is a highlight of the year to be able to provide this group of leaders with the opportunity to spend time together working as a team to provide goodness to their service members,” Harris said. “Each unit has a designated time slot which enables one-on-one time between senior leaders and recipients.”

Junior enlisted service members were hand-selected by the participating senior NCOs to partake in the Thanks for Thanksgiving program. USAG Bavaria Command Sgt. Maj. Sebastian Camacho provided oversight for the program.

“I want to thank the USO team, DeCA and Service Credit Union for putting this event together,” Camacho said. ” And to the senior NCOs for participating and volunteering their time to come here to properly thank our Soldiers by giving them thank you bags for their efforts and hard work.”

Senior NCOs say thanks to junior enlisted across USAG Bavaria
USO Bavaria and senior NCOs in the USAG Bavaria footprint prepared thank you bags consisting of frozen and dried Thanksgiving-related groceries to provide to their most deserving service members. They were selected for their performance, service and sacrifices. (Photo Credit: Julian Temblador) VIEW ORIGINAL

The thank you bags consisted of two kits filled with frozen and dried groceries to make a complete Thanksgiving meal.

The bags included a frozen turkey, a frozen pie, canned vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cornbread mix, oven bags and a roasting pan.

The Thanks for Thanksgiving program would not have been possible without the groceries supplied by the Grafenwoehr Commissary and the support of USAG Bavaria mission partner Service Credit Union.

Senior NCOs say thanks to junior enlisted across USAG Bavaria
USO Bavaria and senior NCOs in the USAG Bavaria footprint prepared thank you bags consisting of frozen and dried Thanksgiving-related groceries to provide to their most deserving service members. They were selected for their performance, service and sacrifices. (Photo Credit: Julian Temblador ) VIEW ORIGINAL

“This is what we are here to do — we are here to serve our communities,” said Aaron Force, the branch manager of Grafenwoehr Service Credit Union. “This is one small way we can give back. We consider this a privilege.”

The program was first introduced by the Kaiserslautern Military Community in 1999, as a way to strengthen the relationship between senior NCOs and their junior counterparts. USAG Bavaria adopted the tradition starting in 2017.

Senior NCOs say thanks to junior enlisted across USAG Bavaria
U.S. Army senior NCOs, members from USO Bavaria, Service Credit Union and the Grafenwoehr Commissary pose for a photo during the Thanks for Thanksgiving event on Nov. 20, 2021, at the Grafenwoehr Commissary on Tower Barracks. (Photo Credit: Julian Temblador ) VIEW ORIGINAL