Alaska Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Eddie Jones, left, a Bethel recruiter with the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, answers questions from local children about his uniform patches during Operation Santa Claus in Scammon Bay, Nov. 16, 2022. Operation Santa Claus is the Alaska National Guard’s yearly community relations and support program that provides gifts to children in remote communities across the state. In partnership with the Salvation Army and with more than a dozen volunteers, the program delivered 1,780 pounds of gifts, backpacks, hygiene supplies, and books to 325 children in Scammon Bay. (Alaska National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Balinda O’Neal)