Members of the Mississippi Air National Guard 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field welcomed spouses, children, parents and other family on Saturday as the Air National National Guard Base held its annual Family Day.

Col. Cynthia Smith, the commander of the 186th ARW, said Family Day is a day for families to take a peek at what their loved ones do while serving with the guard and for guardsmen to show appreciation for the support their families give them.

“We’re celebrating the families because we couldn’t do this mission without them,” Smith said.

Maj. Sabrina Dalton, who serves as Chief of Public Affairs for the 186th ARW, said service in the guard takes time away from families. Weekend trainings and short term deployments, such as emergency assistance after a hurricane, add up, she said, and can take a toll on both guardsmen and their families.

“When you add all that up, our service members, our airmen are away from their families. They’re missing birthdays, they’re missing significant events for their family. Some of them might have something go on at home like a water pipe burst,” she said. “Long story short Family Day is a way for us to give back to the families who sacrifice for their airmen to be able to be in the Air National Guard.

Whether the mission is training on base or being deployed, having the support of their families is crucial for guardsmen to be successful, Smith said. Family Day is a day every member of the 186th ARW looks forward to each year, she said.

“They’re proud of what they do, and we are so proud of those families,” she said. “It’s just a small effort to recognize what they contribute, but we’re delighted to host it each year and look forward to it year round.

Saturday’s event featured tours of some of the military aircraft stationed at Key Field, bounce houses, a small mountain of pizza and a visit from Santa Claus. Families were also able to decorate cookies, play with remote control cars and sign Christmas cards for service members in the VA hospitals.

Whether its their parents, spouse or children, Smith said families of service members also serve in their own way.

“In essence, every member’s family also serves in the military,” she said. “And we’re sort of celebrating that role today.”