Camp Casey holds holiday tree lighting ceremony

On Camp Casey in Dongducheon Dec. 8, Warrior Country holds its Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, in the parking lot of the Gateway Club. Col. Brandon D. Newton, Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud and Area I, made brief welcoming remarks before introducing Brig. Gen. Johnnie L. Johnson, Deputy Commanding General Maneuver, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division. Johnson also spoke briefly and then called forward the children and others in the audience to join him in turning on the lights of the camp's towering Christmas tree. Among those joining in at Johnson's invitation were Dongducheon City Mayor Oh Sea-chang.

Musical performances followed, first by the choir of Sa-Dong Elementary School, which is in Dongducheon, then by musicians of the 8th Army Band's "Alliance Brass" quintet. Then, as he had done at a tree lighting ceremony the night before on Camp Red Cloud in Uijeongbu, Santa Claus himself made a surprise appearance at the ceremony, pulling up on an Area I fire engine. He paused at the Christmas tree for photos with the children and others, then went inside the Gateway Club where the kids were able to have their picture taken while sitting on Santa's lap.