Camp Eggers Celebrates Thanksgiving With Carnival

Army Col. Marion Gale, Combined Security, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, Kabul poses with the camels supplied by morale welfare and recreation in support of Camp Eggers' winter carnival Thanksgiving Day. (Photographer: Cliff Williams, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Taking aim, Petty Officer 3rd Class Odell Hudson gets ready for his final shoot of the free-throw competition. For every game won, tickets were given for a raffle of various prizes at Camp Eggers' winter carnival, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, Kabul Thanksgiving Day. (Photographer: Cliff Williams, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Army Col. Stephen G. Yackley, deputy to the commanding general, Police Development, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, helps dishes out Thanksgiving dinner to the servicemembers of Camp Eggers, Kabul. (Photographer: Cliff Williams, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan.)

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 27, 2008 -- Servicemembers at Camp Eggers marked Thanksgiving Day 2008 with good food, games and laughter, as Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan celebrated with a winter carnival.

With a joint military command of more than 1,000 personnel away from home during the holidays, morale, welfare and recreation personnel sought to make the holiday memorable.

“Thanksgiving back home for me is always a huge gathering, so being away from home during the holidays is hard,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Odell Hudson. “But today has been fun. It took away the thought of being away from home for the holidays.”

Camp Eggers personnel participated in various competitions, including darts; football and softball throws; and pie- and hot dog-eating competitions. Prizes were offered, and camel rides were also available around base.

CSTC-A provides advisors, mentors and trainers to help the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior with organizing, training, equipping and supporting Afghan national security forces in order to defeat the insurgency; provide internal security; extend and enforce the rule of law; set conditions for economic development; and gain the trust and confidence of the citizens of Afghanistan.

(Report by Petty Officer 1st Class Cliff Williams, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.)

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