Sailors, family members, and volunteers transformed a command parking lot to an evening of filled with trick or treats for some of our youngest beneficiaries at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), 27 Oct.
 
As dusk settled in the skyline, the sounds of candy crackling was only met with the flurry of little monsters, super heroes, and others stomping their way to the various trunks filled with candy, decor, and spooky music.
 
“We are approaching the time of year where we can celebrate with our fellow Sailors and civilian staff the joy that it is to be stationed at a command where we value family,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Ariel Kent-LeBlanc, NMCSD respiratory therapist.  “Events such as a truck or treat is far from being an epic production, but it is a commitment on the part of many to ensure our little ones have a core memory that took place at NMCSD.”


 
The Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) and the Second Class Petty Officer Association (SCPOA) organizations came together to pull off the Trunk or Treat event by ensuring the most critical component of any Halloween event is fully covered — that there be an overabundance of candy.
 
“Operation Candy Overflow was at the forefront of all of us who planned for and are in charge of pulling off this Trunk or Treat,” expressed Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Madisen Whiting, NMCSD laboratory technician.  “We couldn’t imagine it any other way, and for that we are grateful to everyone who participated and contributed to the candy bounty.”
 
Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Aaron Sheppard, NMCSD orthopedic technician, designed the first, second, and third place achievement paddles.


 
“At NMCSD, we take our responsibilities to the fullest and when it came to ensure that the proper recognition was to be presented to our contest winners, I was not going to have it no other way than to present them with a paddle,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Caleb Collins, NMCSD orthopedic technician.


The first place winner was the Naval Branch Health Clinic North Island dressed as the Nightmare Before Christmas. Second place was the SCPOA dress as the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Third place was NMCSD’s Command Career Counselor Office with a barnyard theme.


 
“The reassuring thing about holding a Trunk or Treat event at a Medical Treatment Facility is that if a child indulges in too much candy, then they’re at the right place for medical help,” joked Whiting.
 
Fortunately, during this Trunk or Treat episode, no child had to go to the Emergency Department.

The mission of NMCSD is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality health care services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training, and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active-duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.