Members of the 176th Air Defense Squadron load onto an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft Dec. 2, 2021, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, to help transport gifts to Bethel and Nome for further delivery to the villages of Chevak and Buckland, respectively, for Operation Santa Claus 2021. Op Santa is an Alaska National Guard annual community outreach program that provides gifts, books, school supplies and stocking stuffers to children in rural Alaskan communities. This year marks the 66th year of the program, which began in 1956 after the village of St. Mary's experienced a year of hardship and the Alaska Air National Guard flew in gifts and supplies donated by the local community. The Alaska National Guard was able to continue the tradition this year and safely provide gifts despite COVID-19. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Dana Rosso/Released).