Operation Christmas Stocking to Invade Afghanistan

“Operation Christmas Stocking,” a program aimed at mailing stuffed Christmas stockings to troops and Department of Defense employees serving in Afghanistan, commenced Nov. 22 at the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek (NABLC) Chapel Annex. Capt. John Steven Evans, NABLC command chaplain and organizer of Operation Christmas Stocking, said the goal is “putting a stocking into the hand of every service member and DoD employee in Afghanistan.” He said he wanted to do something for the troops, so “I contacted Capt. Michael W. Langston, a chaplain in Afghanistan, and we came up with the idea to ensure that everyone received a Christmas stocking this year.” The first set of Christmas stockings were stuffed with candy, snacks, writing tablets, small bouncy balls, and hand-stamped letters. They were mailed Nov. 28, and more are scheduled to be sent.