MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Kris Kringles, reindeers, elves and other participants in festive outfits stretched and tightened jingle bells to their laces. With a burst of confetti, racers took off with holiday cheer as they began the Jingle Bell Jog, Dec. 19, 2014, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.
Marine Corps Community Services hosted the Jingle Bell Jog to help raise morale during the holiday season. The 1.5km event had more than 1,400 participants from several units.
“This is a culmination of our entire year,” said Tiffany Cunin, acting chief of Semper Fit. “It’s really great to bring all of our military personnel, Department of Defense civilians and their families together during a time of the year that may pose some difficulties for our companied and unaccompanied personnel, due to being away from home for the holidays.”
The jog started at IronWorks Gym and passed Building One, where participants were judged by Col. Robert Boucher, commanding officer of MCAS Iwakuni, and Sgt. Maj. Keith Massi, the sergeant major of MCAS Iwakuni. Boucher said events like this help to unite the community and build cohesion aboard station.
“Anytime you have units together and families together, it improves morale,” said Col. Robert Boucher, commanding officer of MCAS Iwakuni. “We’re a part of the community and we like to see the community happy. The smile on people’s faces was the best part.”
Marine Aircraft Group 12 earned the title of “Most Motivated” this year by impressed the judges with their overall enthusiasm and costumes.
“Our young corporals and sergeants took the bull by the horns and organized our participation in this event,” said Colonel Hunter H. Hobson, MAG-12 commanding officer. “You could see their enthusiasm permeate through this whole event. It’s not surprising to me at all that we won the motivated unit award and I’m really proud of that.”
Hobson said the Jingle Bell Jog is a great event for service members, families and the community to come together and celebrate during this joyous holiday.
“Everyone is here in one outfit or another,” said Hobson. “This is our chance to sit around and bond as service members and families and enjoy the holiday spirit. That’s what it’s all about and that’s why we’re doing this.”
As the event concluded, participants rallied back inside the IronWorks Gym and continued the festivities with a bounce house, raffle prizes and free food.
“To me, this is our end all for the year,” said Cunin. “We get to go out with a bang and we want to bring in the next year with all the positive energy that this event brings.”
Cunin said this year’s turnout was more than last year, but hopes to get more than 2,000 personnel to participant next year.