Going home for the holidays

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Thanks to Operation Homefront, a C3I and Networks Directorate Airman will travel home this month for the first time since joining the Air Force nearly two years ago.

Airman 1st Class Robert Beaver, a knowledge operations manager, originally from Hilliard, Fla., says that while his younger siblings prepare to begin their own military career, this may be one of his family's last holidays spent together.

"I have not been able to go home since I joined the Air Force in March 2012," said Beaver. "Both my brother and sister have joined the Navy and my grandmother is getting too old to travel for the holidays. My family is very excited to be able to do this one last time before we're all separated or begin families of our own."

Operation Homefront provides servicemembers an opportunity to win a free trip home for the holidays. The offer was open to all active duty servicemembers; however, priority was given to servicemembers E-6 and below.

Master Sgt. Pattie Hassan, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Detachment 7 first sergeant, sent the offer to eligible Airmen on base.

"Having a small part in Airman Beaver spending the holidays with family and friends is an example of what I love about being a first sergeant," she said. "Taking care of one another is an excellent example of what serving in the Air Force, in the Armed Forces, is all about."

Without opportunities like this, Beaver admits that traveling home would be difficult.

"Without this ticket, I wouldn't have been able to get home for the holidays," he said. "Living here is expensive and tickets during the holiday are beyond my budget."

While financial need was a priority, it was not a requirement.

"It would have been a choice between gifts for friends and family, or a plane ticket home," said Beaver.

After filling out a short survey, Beaver was contacted two days later informing him that he was selected to receive the ticket home for the holidays.

"I was very cautious about it at first, I've always felt that some things are too good to be true, but sure enough I received a personal email from the representative of the program detailing exactly what steps I needed to take and I was emailed my plane tickets that same week," he said.

The program covered the cost of a ticket for commercial travel only on an airline or train. Travel must occur between Dec. 1 and Jan. 5 and travelers were responsible for all other expenses.

"The holidays can be very tough for single Airmen who are separated from family without the means to travel long distances back home," he said. "Operation Homefront is providing at least the opportunity for us to make it home."

I am incredibly fortunate to have been selected and thankful to my first sergeant for informing eligible Airmen of the opportunity, Beaver said.

More than 400 tickets were awarded this year.