Santa, Mrs. Claus, Alaska Guard deliver holiday spirit

Mrs. Claus kneels down in front of a four-year-old Allakaket resident. The village of 185 residents welcomed the volunteers into their school for the day to celebrate Christmas. (Alaska National Guard photo/1st. Lt. Bernie Kale)

Santa, Mrs. Claus, Alaska Guard deliver holiday spirit

Santa’s new sleigh, an Alaska Air National Guard C-130 Hercules, is loaded up with supplies and gifts on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Saturday before the flight to Allakaket, a village of 185 residents. (Alaska National Guard photo/1st. Lt. Bernie Kale)

The Eagle River Bear Paw Festival

(Front row) Sisters Hailey Parret, 2, and Danica Parret, 9, both of Eagle River, Alaska, ride a roller coaster during the 26th annual Bear Paw Festival in Eagle River. (U.S. Air Force photo/Justin Connaher)

Bear Paw Festival 2011

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Photo from the 26th annual Bear Paw Festival in Eagle River, Alaska, Saturday, July 9, 2011. This community event ran from July 6-10, and included a parade, carnival, street performers and entertainment. (U.S. Air Force photo byJustin Connaher/JBER PA)

JBER Scout Troops at Camp Gorsuch

CAMP GORSUCH, Alaska???Airman 1st Class Tanner Volkers, left, a troop leader, and boy scout Gideon Wetherll, 14, both with JBER Troop 190, jump into the cold water at Camp Gorsuch Boy Scout camp where Boy Scout troops 109 and 504 from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson were camping for the week and performing tasks to earn scouting badges, Thursday, June 23, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Connaher/JBER PA)

JBER Scout Troops at Camp Gorsuch

CAMP GORSUCH, Alaska???Eagle Scout Alex Flores, 16, with JBER Troop 504, rappels down a cliff face at Camp Gorsuch Boy Scout camp where Boy Scout troops 109 and 504 from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson were camping for the week and performing tasks to earn scouting badges, Thursday, June 23, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Connaher/JBER PA)

Egging each other on

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson hosted Easter festivities for children at the Easter Eggstravaganza April 23. Army and Air Force families alike came out to gather prize-filled eggs and socialize with food and drink while visiting with the Easter bunny and celebrating spring. Families on JBER-Richardson gather plastic Easter eggs at Cottonwood Park. Cool, cloudy weather did not distract children from the prize-filled eggs and candy, or the events at the Arctic Oasis after the egg-grabbing ended. (U.S. Air Force photo\Steve White)

Egging each other on

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson hosted Easter festivities for children at the Easter Eggstravaganza April 23. Army and Air Force families alike came out to gather prize-filled eggs and socialize with food and drink while visiting with the Easter bunny and celebrating spring. Macy Dallefeld, daughter of Sgt. Jonathan Dullefeld, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 725th Brigade Support Battalion, finds a egg to match her outfit at annual egg hunt. (U.S. Air Force photo\Steve White)

Rural Alaska students visit 4-25 infantry troops

Pfc. Jason Earley, a parachute rigger from the 725th BSB, shows a group of students from the Rose Urban Rural Exchange program how to rig a T-10D parachute during the students’ trip. (U.S. Army photo\Capt. Chase Spears)

Big Brothers Big Sisters, JBER work together

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDON, Alaska - Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Kuehnl, 673d Air Base Wing chief, delivers the opening remarks for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska?s Bowl for Kids Sake at JBER?s Polar Bowl April 8. The event helped raised money for the organization and will be used toward children matched with BBBS. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Gross)

Big Brothers Big Sisters, JBER work together

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDON, Alaska - Darsha Gill bowls during Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska?s Bowl for Kids Sake at JBER?s Polar Bowl April 8. The event helped raised money for the organization and will be used toward children matched with BBBS. Gill is an airman first class with the 673d Medical Support Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Gross)

Troops motivate local youth with math, sports

Sgt. Isaac Reighard, 56th Engineer Company, 6th Engineer Battalion (Airborne), assists three fifth-grade students as they assemble a monthly school newsletter, at Chester Valley Elementary School, Feb. 28. Several Soldiers from the 56th volunteer at the school through the U.S. Army Alaska and Anchorage School District Partnership Program. (Courtesy photo)