CAMP FOSTER, Japan - The holiday season is the time of the year set aside to spend with friends, family and loved ones. For the Marines and sailors stationed across Marine Corps Installations Pacific, many of their friends and family members are on the other side of the world, making the holiday season lonesome.

To make Okinawa feel more like home, MCIPAC hosts a wide array of events to bring service members and the local communities together to share the holiday spirit. From tree lighting ceremonies to Christmas parties at the base clubs, the holiday season on Okinawa is full of festivities.

“These events give the Marines and sailors a different perspective to the meaning of family,” said Dr. Ray Welch, a Lake Arrowhead, California, native and the camp director for Camp Courtney. “It lets them know that they are part of a family.” 

Each camp has specific events which take place every year such as Camp Schwab’s annual Christmas party, which has attracted approximately 4,500 people in the past thirty years. Camp Foster hosts the annual III Marine Expeditionary Force Band Christmas concert, which has been a tradition since the 1970s.

According to Capt. Christopher B. Snyder, the camp operations officer for Camp Schwab, participating in these events helps service members cope with being away from home for the holidays.

“It’s a good opportunity for service members,” said Snyder. “It’s rewarding for them to have a sense of comfort by celebrating with others when they cannot be with their families.”

These events help ensure that MCIPAC is able to preserve regional peace, stability and security by taking a break and decompressing during the holidays before returning to work. For more information on upcoming events, call your units’ family readiness officer, community relations liaison, or visit www.mccsokinawa.com/events.