CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii -- Personnel with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, and their families spent an afternoon celebrating family day at Bordelon Field July 25 here.
As families scattered around the field, they enjoyed partaking in several events, such as a mobile petting zoo with pony rides, inflatable slip-and-slide, dunk tank, bounce house, K-9 demonstration and a barbecue lunch.
“My family had a great day,” said Sgt. David Oliver. “My daughter enjoyed the ponies the most.”
Oliver said it was a good turn out and he hopes the unit keeps doing this every year.
The event was also designed for MARFORPAC personnel to meet and socialize with each other.
“Family Day is a great way for us to greet and welcome the families of Marines who have recently joined the unit,” said Col. Cosmas Spofford, MARFORPAC Headquarters and Service Battalion commanding officer. “Everyone here works hard, and Family Day is one of the few opportunities to bring everyone together.”
Despite the events taking place around the field, the grand prize of the day and what MARFORPAC members paid to see was the “pie in the face”.
To raise money for the Enlisted Marine Corps birthday ball, Marines and sailors nominated people in the command who they wanted to get hit with a pie by paying 25 cents per vote. The top four with the most money raised sat down and were wrapped with plastic. An auction was held to see who would deliver the pie to their faces.
These weren’t the traditional pies. The victims of the event; Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Jay Stuckey, force chaplain master chief, Master Gunnery Sgt. CT Gregoire, Battalion Operations Section antiterrorism force protection officer, Master Gunnery Sgt. Steve Williams, MARFORPAC operations chief, and William Callahan, MARFORPAC Operations deputy assistant chief of staff, got their cherry filling and whipped cream, but also a taste of mustard, ketchup and honey mixed in.
Although it was messy mix, there were no hard feelings.
“It was an awesome feeling to have Marines, sailors and civilians of my MARFORPAC's family bidding on how (much) it would cost to hit me in the face with a pie,” Stuckey said. "It's a wonderful thing to give back to our enlisted junior Marines and sailors.”
Stuckey said he was happy to have raised the largest amount of money during the auction and to taste some honey, mustard and ketchup for the next three days.
“Based on the feedback I received and the number of people that attended, this year's event was successful,” Spofford said.