Operation Home Cooking enters 37th Year

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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - LACKLAND, AFB, Texas -- --  San Antonio area families can express their warmth and hospitality to Airmen and trainees at Lackland AFB by allowing them an opportunity to enjoy a holiday meal and family atmosphere through "Operation Home Cooking."

In its 37th year, the program provides the opportunity for families to share their traditional Thanksgiving celebrations with Air Force Airmen and basic trainees. Throughout the years, families have generously opened their homes to these young men and women, recognizing that many of them are away from home for the first time. This program is designed for family participation and not intended for groups. This ensures everyone wanting to participate has an opportunity to do so. Last year, local residents hosted 4,889 Air Force members for Thanksgiving dinner.

Families within the San Antonio metropolitan area may invite two Airmen/trainees as a "General Request" by calling 671-5453, 5454 or 3701. To request an Airman/trainee under the "By Name Request" program, you must be an immediate family member (e.g., Mother, Father, Brother, Sister or Grandparents) and live in the San Antonio Metropolitan area. Exception will be for Airmen in the 8th week of training. To request an Airman/trainee using the "By Name Request" you can call the same numbers as listed above.

Requests can be made weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are required to host Airmen/trainees (e.g., you can't show up on Thanksgiving Day "no notice/unannounced" and obtain trainees). Once we reach our total number of Airmen/trainees eligible for the program we will stop taking requests. The phone lines will remain open till November 21st or until all eligible trainees have been requested, whichever occurs first. Anyone who calls after we reach our total number of Airmen/trainees may be placed on a waiting list and called back if more hosts are required.

Out-of-town relatives who have trainees in basic training that will be graduating during Thanksgiving week may request them By Name for Thanksgiving lunch/dinner. Since trainees are not permitted to have personal transportation during training, hosts must pick up "General Requests" at the Basic Military Training (BMT) Reception Center (Bldg. 7246).

If the Airman/trainee is a "By Name Request," they will be picked up from their respective squadrons on Thanksgiving Day between 7 and 11 a.m.

All Airmen and basic trainees must be returned back to their respective squadrons according to their designated return time which will be no later than 7 p.m. We ask that you plan accordingly for traffic.