KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Kunsan Air Base's Loring Club celebrated Super Bowl Monday with festivities involving food and giveaways. About 300 Airmen filled the club, enjoying the game on a double-digit number of flat-screen TVs and wall-sized projectors.
The big game aired Monday morning in Korea due to the differences between the time zones.
The celebration included free breakfast and lunch in conjunction with the end of last week's exercise. It also involved a few Airmen walking home with some pleasant surprises.
Tech. Sgt. Thomas Waters, 8th Mission Support Group resource advisor, won a 65 inch smart TV, courtesy of the Air Force's College Football Championship Program.
According to Loring Club manager Mike Monti, the pilot program began at all Air Force installations worldwide Jan. 11 during the college football national championship game. Club members filled out entry cards and Waters won from a pool of 55 entries at Kunsan.
Each club then submitted one nomination to the Air Force for the grand prize. Waters took home that award as well at the Air Force level in the prize announced Super Bowl Monday.
"I had no clue I was the winner when I went to the Super Bowl celebration at the club," Waters said. "I was at the club watching the game with somecoworkers, then at halftime Wolf steps on stage and starts talking about last-week's exercise. Then he moves into the contest and calls me on stage to tell me I won."
Waters said winning a contest like that isn't something he ever thought about when he entered it at the Loring Club a month earlier while watching college football with some Airmen from work.
"I pretty much discounted winning back in January when you consider all the entries and the odds of winning being so small," he said. "When Wolf called me up to tell me I won I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me. This is cool.'"
His luck also benefited the Loring Club. The contest didn't just award the winner a 65 inch smart TV, the club the winner entered at wins one too. Monti said the club plans to put the TV in the Olds Room to replace the much-older TV currently in the room.
Beyond the College Football Championship Program contest, the club also gave away a $100 gift card, a 55 inch TV, a recliner and free meals at Loring Club.
"It pays to be a club member," Monti said. "Another contest coming up involves the phrase 'Leap Into a Jeep' so club members can look forward to that."
Waters said his favorite sports to watch are hockey and college football. He said he plans to bring the TV home to his family when he leaves Kunsan over the summer.
"We have a 46 inch TV at home for the family, and we had planned on upgrading," Waters said. "This saves us about $2,000 on a big TV. The wife is happy, so I'm happy."