The newly installed commander of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos continued his community relations assault this week with the official lighting of the first ever official Christmas tree at the 80-year-old base.
“I want to show the local community that we are about a community relationship,” said Lt. Col. Dan Fox said in an interview with ENE Saturday evening before the event.
With a tree donated by the City of Los Alamitos, the 30-foot tree sat in a trailer hitched to a military jeep in the median to the main entrance of the base. Connected also was a trailer filled with large, gift-wrapped packages.
Santa and Mrs. Claus wave the service members, families and guests just after Staff Sgt. Pearl Jardinasso flipped the switch and the humvee mounted tree lit up.
Even as a military band played military and holiday songs, Fox milled around the large area on the base speaking with members of the public.
Even so, Fox said he wanted to ensure that the “fun” event was steeped in military tradition.
“Even in a fun environment of a tree lighting,” said Fox, “I want to add to the holiday spirit, which is what the purpose of the tree lighting is, but we did it with our military attributes to show the community how we do things,” said Fox.
“Too many people see the military base from the outside only and probably have no idea what goes on in. I think that they’re probably curious as to what all happens in and within the limits of what I am able to show, I would like for them to be able to see what I see; what soldiers, sailors and service members at large do when they come to work,” the commander said.
Fox said he would be listening for a while before developing a more permanent community relations plan.
He also had a surprise for one service member Saturday.
“To begin this tradition, and to continue on every year after, we’re going to select an honorary service member from the base to do the honors of lighting the tree,” he said.
Now addressing the public, Fox said “everyone knows this was a surprise. I didn’t let her know she was doing this. I selected her because she pretty much spearheaded the decorating of the tree.”
He recognized Staff Sgt. Pearl Jardinasso and asked her to come forward.
“I asked who wanted to volunteer to decorate the tree, and she jumped all over it, and with very little guidance, put all that together. So she rounded up everyone with the ‘bah humbug’ spirit and made them get to work,” said Fox.
“You get to do the honors of lighting the tree,” the commander told her.
“Honestly I’m very humbled, but it’s that none of this could have happened without the cooperation of everybody on base,” she said. “It was a collective event so I cannot take any credit for it,” the staff sergeant said. “I thank you,” said Jardinasso.
Los Alamitos Mayor Tanya Doby and Council member Shelley Hasselbrink attended along with key staff members representing the city.