188th Wing celebrates family day

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. John Hillier
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs
The 188th Wing invited family members and community supporters out for its annual family day here May 6, 2018.

The wing hosted a variety of activities for all ages, including the 6th Annual Hawg Jawg 5K run, a fishing derby, cultural observances and many more family activities.

“About 10 years ago we started doing fishing derbies for our kids,” said Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth Tankersley, fishing derby coordinator. “A bunch of us out here love fishing and wanted to see it continue for the next generation. We had 20 kids sign up the first year, and now we’re expecting 150 or so this time.”

Wing Commander Col. Robert I. Kinney thanked participants for being a part of the 188th Wing family and how much it means to the unit.

“It’s these types of things that I really live for – to be able to get us together so that we can spend time with each other,” said Kinney. “That’s today: thanking our families and building our resilience as 21st century Guard Airmen.”

The day also featured an observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, with members of the Fort Smith Vietnamese-American community discussing their experiences, and performing a traditional Lion Dance. Some of the community elders present at the event were evacuees from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon who processed through Fort Chaffee and chose to make their new homes here.

“We want to thank the Vietnamese-American community here for their support of the wing, and celebrate our unit members who are part of that community,” said Tech. Sgt. Sean Lindsey, 188th Wing Equal Opportunity NCOIC, who organized the observance event.

188th Wing celebrates family day

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. John Hillier
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs
The 188th Wing invited family members and community supporters out for its annual family day here May 6, 2018.

The wing hosted a variety of activities for all ages, including the 6th Annual Hawg Jawg 5K run, a fishing derby, cultural observances and many more family activities.

“About 10 years ago we started doing fishing derbies for our kids,” said Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth Tankersley, fishing derby coordinator. “A bunch of us out here love fishing and wanted to see it continue for the next generation. We had 20 kids sign up the first year, and now we’re expecting 150 or so this time.”

Wing Commander Col. Robert I. Kinney thanked participants for being a part of the 188th Wing family and how much it means to the unit.

“It’s these types of things that I really live for – to be able to get us together so that we can spend time with each other,” said Kinney. “That’s today: thanking our families and building our resilience as 21st century Guard Airmen.”

The day also featured an observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, with members of the Fort Smith Vietnamese-American community discussing their experiences, and performing a traditional Lion Dance. Some of the community elders present at the event were evacuees from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon who processed through Fort Chaffee and chose to make their new homes here.

“We want to thank the Vietnamese-American community here for their support of the wing, and celebrate our unit members who are part of that community,” said Tech. Sgt. Sean Lindsey, 188th Wing Equal Opportunity NCOIC, who organized the observance event.