Hanscom to celebrate heroes' homecoming

  • Published
  • By Jessica Casserly
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Team Hanscom is invited to help welcome home more than 60 service members who have returned from deployment in the past year during the Hanscom Heroes Homecoming celebration to be held here July 23.

The event organizer, Bobby Jacques, Hanscom Executive Services chief, hopes to show returning service members that the base and the local community appreciate the sacrifices they have made during their recent deployments. 

"This event is about bringing the Hanscom community together to show those who have deployed and their families that we appreciate what they do," Jacques said. "We want to recognize these service members and let them know that we care about them."

The homecoming events will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a lunch and recognition ceremony for the honorees, their families and invited guests at the Hanscom Conference Center. Following the formal ceremony, all Hanscom personnel are invited to watch the parade, which is scheduled to begin at noon at the conference center and end at the base chapel.

Parade participants will include the honorees and their families, Key Spouse members and the Patriot Riders. Approximately 40 vehicles, including vintage military vehicles and the Boston Duck Boats, are expected to participate in the parade.

Hanscom personnel are encouraged to line the parade route to honor the Airmen and their families by cheering them on as the parade proceeds to the chapel.

Having maximum support from base personnel is what makes the event a success, Jacques said.

"I don't think the Airmen realize how much people care about their sacrifices until they turn the corner on the parade route and look down the street and see lines of people on both sides," Jacques said.

For Airmen like Tech. Sgt. Tina Lewis, NCO in charge of the 66th Air Base Group Commander Support Staff and one of the returning deployers participating, being able to share this experience with her family means a great deal.

"I personally think it is important to recognize those who have deployed and given up time with their families," Lewis said. "Military children are always proud of their parents' service and I think it is great that this event acknowledges the sacrifices the children make as well."

The celebration of these Airmen and their families will continue after the parade with food, static displays and other activities at the chapel gazebo and in front of the Airman Leadership School along Marrett Street.

"We plan to offer free Duck Boat rides and there will be static displays at the end of the parade route until 2 p.m.," Jacques said. "We are encouraging everyone to spend some time enjoying the activities after the parade."

The 66th Force Support Squadron is partnering with Jacques to offer food, giveaways and other activities as part of the event. 

"Participants can enjoy refreshments from one of the three food carts FSS plans to have stationed along the parade route," said Sherita Baker, 66 FSS Commercial Sponsorship coordinator. "We will have booths offering promotional items and other giveaways during the event. One of our sponsors is also donating an ice-cream truck and we will be handing out free cups of ice cream."

Seeing base personnel and local community members come together to recognize and support military members is very meaningful for Master Sgt. Nicholas Souza, the first sergeant for the 66th Comptroller Squadron, the 66th Force Support Squadron, the 66th Logistics Readiness Squadron and the organizations that comprise the 66th Air Base Group Staff Agencies.

"[Heroes Homecoming] is an amazing event," Souza said. "This is my eighth base and I've never seen anything of this magnitude for returning service members. This event affords military members and their families an opportunity to have fun as part of the reintegration process."

For additional information about Heroes Homecoming, contact Jacques at 781-225-1333.