Our troops sacrifice so much in service to our country, often serving far from home and away from family at Christmastime. But they still make the best of it and find a way to keep the Christmas spirit alive wherever they are. Here are the 10 best photos of our troops celebrating Christmas overseas:
US Army personnel light candles during a Christmas Eve church service on Forward Operating Base Bostick in eastern Afghanistan. Via Reuters, 2009.
Deployed troops share their Christmas stockings with children. Operation Give, a troop-support group, sent more than 20,000 stockings to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of its annual Operation Christmas Stocking collection. Via American Forces Press Service, 2008.
Spc. Lindsey Helgemo, 23, hands out candy canes from a stocking to amused Afghan National Army soldiers on Christmas morning at Combat Outpost Terra Nova in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Via Stars and Stripes, 2010.
JOINT SECURITY STATION INDIA, Iraq-Spc. John Koskinen, a tanker assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, shows off his Christmas dinner Dec. 25. Soldiers celebrated the day with each other to keep their spirits high while away from their loved ones at home. Via Army.mil, 2010.
Service members at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, celebrate the holidays. Via Army.mil, 2007.
U.S. soldiers look at fellow soldier wearing Santa Claus mask during Christmas Day at U.S. military patrol base in Baghdad’s Sadr City. Via Erik de Castro / Reuters.
Soldiers of Command Post-North, Task Force Marne, listen as Brig. Gen. Tom Vandal, reads the book “The Soldiers’ Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve. Photo provided by U.S. Army photo by Spc. Daniel Nelson, 145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 3rd Infantry Division. Via Savannah Now, 2009.
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Derrick Nunley, 27, from Desoto, Kan., returns after flying in a Blackhawk helicopter on Christmas Day at Camp Victory near Baghdad. Via AP/Houston Chronicle, 2009.
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) — Santa Claus gets off an F-15 Eagle a few weeks early to spread Christmas cheer to children here. Santa entertained the children during the 33rd Fighter Wing’s Christmas party. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. David Tomiyama, 2005.
Troops in Iraq with Merry Christmas graffiti. Unknown source and date.
Merry Christmas!
Please remember our troops serving away from home and their families this Christmas and keep them in your prayers.
