NAS Whiting Field provides Thanksgiving for sailors

MILTON — Many people in Santa Rosa County spent time with family on Thanksgiving, either off from work or after their shift. However, 18 sailors stationed at Naval Air Station Whiting Field couldn't make it home for the holidays so Whiting leadership made a home on base for them.

Sailors stationed at Whiting come as far as California, according to Public Information Officer Jamie Link.

"Whiting (Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department) partners with base entities to provide several meals for sailors on base," Link said. "They will not go hungry."

While numerous families contacted Whiting about hosting sailors who wouldn't make it home for Thanksgiving, Link said the base avoids this primarily for safety reasons and because there is plenty of base support where sailors can remain in their own environment.

Chief Air Traffic Controller Rachael Kemptston for nearly all of her four and a half years stationed at Whiting has volunteered to stand duty on base so other sailors can go home to be with their families.

"I’ve been in the Navy over 19 years and they always have something for single sailors," Kempston said. "Every year we coordinate with the chiefs and help serve (Thanksgiving meals). They also sit and chat with the sailors so they don’t feel by themselves."

Thanksgiving on base takes place at the Liberty Center, run by MWR.

"They provide the turkey and the ham," Kempston said. The center also has a game room with billiards, ping pong and a big-screen television with video games so sailors have more to do together than just eat.

"When we’re (on base), it’s in a working capacity," Kempston said. "This is their chance to see us out of uniform supporting them."

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: NAS Whiting Field provides Thanksgiving for sailors