On the late afternoon of Sept. 21, more than 300 Soldiers and family members of the 1916th Support Battalion and their kin took a break from training day 12 to celebrate their second fall festival at the battalion’s motor pool here.

“We perform excellently in NTC and during rotations, hands down, but this is about caring, not just talking, about showing families we care,” said Lt. Col. Marshanna Gipson, 1916th Battalion commander.

“I’m a true believer that you are not only the family you were born in, but the family you acquire along the way in life,” Gipson said. “It’s about taking every opportunity to chisel out some time, to show we care. That’s how we make more resilient Soldiers.”

Gipson said the battalion of less than 300 Soldiers had previously held Halloween events, but she felt a fall festival would allow her Desert Warrior family to celebrate the changing of the season, in a safe environment for Soldiers and their family members.

Besides eating hot dogs, cotton candy, pies and other sweet treats, the crowds enjoyed a haunted house, face painting, pumpkin decorating, ring toss and bean bag toss, cars and truck trunks dressed to treat Halloween tricksters, and a costume contest for all ages.

Several hundred 1916th Support Battalion Soldiers and family members enjoyed food, candy, and Halloween fun as the battalion took a break from rotational unit training duties to celebrate the beginning of autumn at the battalion’s motor pool, Sept. 21.