Flight engineer pulls on mess dress for wedding

WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. -- A 337th Airlift  Squadron flight engineer recently got married in full military tradition.
Tech. Sgt. Kevin P. Godbout and his wife, Chrissa, joined together for a military wedding in October 2005 with Chaplain (Maj.) William Wiecher, 439th Airlift Wing chaplain, who performed the ceremony. 

The bride and groom were introduced by entering the reception through the arch of swords, with the traditional crossing of the swords until the groom kissed the bride, followed by a whack of the sword to the brides behind, the traditional way a spouse is welcomed into the Air Force family. (If the bride were military, and the groom was not, then the the groom would have the traditional welcome). 

An outdoor ceremony, horse drawn carriage rides and military sword crossings were highlights of this spectacular military wedding. Honor guard members who were part of the ceremony are friends of the couple’s. The 337th Airlift Squadron members were Capt Jon Carlson, C-5 pilot; Master Sgt. Michael P. Bellerose, first sergeant; Master Sgts. Chris McCurdy Scott Pashco and Ken McDougald, and Tech Sgt Terri Dionne. 

“After 10 days of straight rain, the skies finally cleared the day of the wedding,” Sergeant Godbout said. “This was a really cool benefit of being a military member to have the opportunity to be married in a military mess dress uniform,” said Sergeant Godbout said. “It was really nice.” 

The wedding ceremony and reception were held at the Publick House Historic Inn, in Sturbridge, Mass. Sergeant Godbout has been with the 337th since 1998 and has been in the military for 17 years.