ANDERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Guam – December 19, 2025 – Vice President Aren B. Palik joined the 2025 Operation Christmas Drop (OCD) Push Ceremony in Guam on December 8, 2025, marking its 74th celebration since its inception over the Micronesian skies.

The operation is a tradition that began during the Christmas season in 1952, when a B-29 Superfortress aircrew saw islanders waving at them from the island of Kapingamarangi in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). In the spirit of Christmas, the aircrew dropped a bundle of supplies attached to a parachute to the islanders below, giving the operation its name. Today, OCD operations include more than 60 islands throughout FSM, including Palau, and for the first time, the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

In his speech, Vice President Palik shared that, “the Christmas Drop brings not only essential provisions and tools to the islands, but also hope that we are not alone, no matter how remote we may be.”

Following his attendance at the 74th OCD Push Ceremony, Vice President Palik was invited to join the actual incentive drop flights, visiting the islands of Mogmog and Fasari in Yap on December 9, 2025, aboard US Air Force aircraft – Santa 32, and the villages of Lelu and Wahlung in Kosrae on December 12, 2025, aboard Republic of Korea Air Force aircraft- Santa 36.

Vice President Palik was joined by Second Lady Adelita Palik, Deputy Assistant Secretary Sean Michael Frank, Deputy Chief of Mission Vincent Mut-Tracy of the US Embassy, and Defense Attache staff member Jorge Zambrano.

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