Trees for Troops

Senior Airman Branden Jones and Staff Sgt. Michael Perry, 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron, pick out a fresh-cut Christmas tree for the holidays at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 12, 2013. This year’s sponsors donated 500 Christmas trees to MacDill AFB and sent trees to various deployed locations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz/Released)

Trees for Troops

Published Dec. 13, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The holiday season is here! It's time to hang lights and stockings; eat cookies, open presents, and put up the Christmas tree. Trees for Troops offered MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., 500 fresh-cut trees for the holiday.

The program first started in 2005 with 4,300 trees delivered to troops and their families at five bases in the U.S. and overseas. So far the program has delivered over 122,000 trees over the past eight years, covering every branch of service. The plan for 2013 is to deliver 17,000 trees to military members at over 60 bases and in 17 different countries.

The people that help make this program possible are tree farmers, garden centers, and retailers across the states. There are roughly 550 Christmas tree farmers that donate trees to the program. Hundreds of donors and volunteers participate each year to make Trees for Troops happen.

"We love being out here and doing this for our troops," said a Trees for Troops sponsor. "They deserve it."

Military members come from different parts of the world where snow could be an indicating factor that it is time for the holidays. Being in Florida can make it difficult to get in the holiday spirit. Having the opportunity to decorate a Christmas tree and smelling fresh-cut pine throughout your home can get you in that spirit.