Team Kadena prepares for annual Air Force Ball

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher Marasky
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AB, Japan --  Members of Team Kadena are making the final preparations for Kadena's annual Air Force Ball to be held Sept. 13 at the Rocker NCO Club.

The Air Force Ball offers an opportunity for Airmen to get together and share in the Air Force's rich heritage and tradition, as well as to reflect on the contributions the 18th Wing is making around the world said Capt. Steven Parker, 18th Force Support Squadron combat support flight commander and head of the planning committee.

"The Air Force Ball is an opportunity for Team Kadena to get together and celebrate 61 years of air and space dominance," he said. "The theme for this year's ball is 'Warrior Airmen: Fighting and Winning in Air, Space, and Cyberspace,' and we'll focus on contributions of Team Kadena members in operations worldwide."

This year's guest speaker will be Staff Sgt. Matthew Slaydon, who was seriously wounded in Iraq while performing duties as an explosive ordinance disposal technician. As member of the wounded warrior program he has briefed many senior leaders and spreads the message about what Airmen are doing downrange and in garrison.

In addition to the guest speaker, the ball will feature a gourmet meal provided by the NCO Club, a musical performance by the PACAF Band and dancing.

The Air Force Ball focuses on raising the esprit de corps for the 18th Wing, said Tech. Sgt. Heather Gray, the enlisted aide to the 18th Wing commander and a member of the planning committee.

"It's a chance to come together and celebrate the existence and purpose we all serve and dedicate our lives to," she said.

The social hour for the ball will begin at 6 p.m. and the main event will kick off at 7 p.m. Attire for the event is mess dress for officers, mess dress or semi-formal for enlisted, and formal wear for civilian attendees.

Ticket prices range from $25 to $30 per meal depending on menu selection, but the cost of putting this event on is being largely covered by a number of base-wide fundraisers said Captain Parker.

These include a golf tournament at the Banyan Tree Golf Course Aug. 28 and a bowling tournament at Emery Lanes Sept. 5. There will be prize giveaways at both events.

For more information on the fundraising events, members of Team Kadena should contact their Squadron representatives.

The Air Force Ball is a major undertaking, and the credit for this year's event goes to the numerous volunteers that have donated their time to make it a success said Captain Parker.

"The 52 members on this year's planning committee are the ones who really should get all the credit for this year's ball," he said. "They have a hand in coordinating everything from design of the tickets to the sequence of events and script for the event itself. The Air Force Ball is a huge undertaking and would not be possible without all their hard work."