Family nights a hit with Team MacDill

  • Published
  • By Nick Stubbs
  • Thunderbolt editor
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Like an ol' fashioned block party, moms, dads and children gather, laughing, chatting and filling their plates with food, as the late afternoon sun sprays rays of golden light on everyone.

But family nights at MacDill Air Force Base are a little different. Faces in the crowd can be more reminiscent of the scene in an international airport than your average American neighborhood. That's because MacDill is not your average neighborhood.

Mingling with members of the 6th Air Mobility Wing and mission teammates from various other units and branches on base, is that element of international flavor courtesy of the unique mix of commands at MacDill, and military representatives of 55 countries who make up U.S. Central Command's Coalition Village. There also are scores of families from other nations - their DoD civilian moms and dads working on base.

The variety made it just that more interesting on Friday, a special family night on the MacDill base beach celebrating the Month of the Military Child.

There was a bicycle course for kids in the parking lot, a magician to entertain, face painting and an appearance by the crash test dummy from the 6th AMW Safety Office. And there was food and drink - lots of it - served up buffet style at the SeaScapes Beach House.

"We're here every Friday," said Lt. Col. Collin Gilbert, 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander, his daughter Vivian at his side. "They (family nights) are great, with everyone coming out and getting ready for summer, it's great how the base comes together; this is a great location to be stationed."

Luke Blythen, 2, couldn't stop hugging McGruff the Crime Dog. Along with mom Anique and dad Mark, a Lieutenant Colonel in the New Zealand Army, they call MacDill their home away from home.

"This is really good for the kids," said Mark Blythen. "It's a great way for us to come together and meet people, and it's good community stuff - very positive."

Ryleigh Whittener, 3, is off training wheels, but she was pushing her little bike around with her feet Flintstone's style on the bike course set up in the parking lot at the beach. Mom Jodi, a 6th AMW spouse, is thankful for the regular family gatherings.

"It's great for the little ones," she said. "These are very good get-togethers for families."

Mohamed Aasin, a DoD civilian from Pakistan, was gathered around a table at SeaScapes with his three young children and wife, Raheela.

"This is great; we love this and the kids love it," he said. "We especially like that it is by the water and the beach."

A couple of tables over was the Hayben family, enjoying the good eats. Dad Marquese is a tech. sergeant in the 6th Operations Support Squadron. He says the family gatherings are something he and his family look forward to.

If fun and reinforcing families is the goal, it looks like family nights at MacDill are "mission accomplished," he agreed.

"We love it," Hayben said. "They're just great ways to get together and have fun."