WEBVTT

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♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells ♪

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♪ ♪ Jingle all the way ♪

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- [Narrator] On November 29th,

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members of Altus Air Force Base

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gathered for the annual
holiday tree lighting ceremony.

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The Army Band and the children's
choir performed live music,

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while cookies and cocoa were shared.

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Families enjoyed refreshments,
singing, and the lights,

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symbolizing the start
of the holiday season.

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Major Terrell Tillery, commander of

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the 97th Force Support Squadron,

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says this event is an amazing
way to begin this season.

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- So this is a great event here at Altus

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that we do for the community every year,

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that brings a lot of families out,

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that takes care of the deployed spouses

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and airmen's families that
go through a great event

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over the course of the Christmas time.

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We'll light the tree out here with

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the family of a deployed Airman.

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We'll do that with our Wing Commander.

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We'll get the tree light
for the holiday season.

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- In honor of our deployed members,

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the family of a deployed
Airman light the tree

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with the help of the commander.

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- [Crowd] ...2, 1.

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(cheering)

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- This year, it was Sami Chase,

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spouse of Senior Airman Chase,

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an emergency management member.

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- It meant a lot to me.

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Deployed families, especially
around the holidays,

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it's hard, so it's nice to
have everyone come together,

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share this moment together.

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- Major Tillery says this year,

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they received a new addition to

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the long-standing celebration.

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- New element this year is that we were

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able to bring in live
reindeer, along with Santa.

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- Santa arrived on a
base fire truck spreading

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holiday cheer and excitement.

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Although some families are
apart for the holidays,

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everyone was able to come together

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during this special event
to support each other and

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kick off the holiday season.