NORTH FORT HOOD, TEXAS, Dec. 21, 2011 – Thanks to the Georgia Army National Guard’s 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) of Columbus, Ga, a local family from Killeen, Texas, was able to celebrate Christmas this year. 

The 648th MEB will mobilize to Afghanistan sometime in January 2012 and is currently training at Fort Hood. Before leaving Georgia, one of the camps that will be based in an area of Kabul decided to adopt a family for Christmas as a way of giving back. 

When asked why they decided to adopt a family, Sgt. Maj. James B. Smallwood, one of the garrison camps non-commissioned  officers in charge, said, “One of our jobs overseas is to help people get the resources they need, so why not do it here and reach out to the community and hopefully make a child’s life a little better?” 

Smallwood states that he spoke with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services about two and a half weeks prior to mobilizing to find the neediest family. The family chosen was comprised of a single mother with five young children ranging in ages from eight months to 11 years old.

Thanks to Sgt. Jaclyn R. Hill, a personnel service clerk at the camp, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Angela A. Belding, a personnel officer at the camp, gifts were purchased and wrapped. Specialist Tony D. Moses, a logistics clerk at the camp, received a bit of training from Belding to help with the wrapping of the presents.

“Chief Belding showed me how to wrap the gifts. It’s a good thing that somebody is looking out for someone in need. This is my third time doing something like this,” said Moses.

The camp, along with some of the 648th Command Staff, donated over $600.00 to purchase gifts for the family in addition to a gift card for food so that the family could have a nice Christmas dinner.                                        

“I feel that it is a good thing and good for the 648th,” said Sgt. 1st Class Richard L. Goodwin, security noncommissioned officer of the camp. “It’s good for a needy family. We get to help them out. They are going to get what they need, I only wish there was more.”

The group from the camp delivered the presents to the mother and older children at the Texas Health and Human Services Department, where the children were overjoyed to receive their gifts.

“I just want to say thanks, and that we really needed this,” said the mother, who was visibly overwhelmed by what the group of soldiers from the 648th had done for her family.

Story and photo by Master Sgt. Janet J. Hill,

648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

Georgia Army National Guard