The
holidays – A time for families to come together, reflection over the year
passed, celebrating the birth of Christ and giving presents to loved ones. 9
out of 10 people would agree that sums up what Christmas is about for the most
part, but the last thought to cross the minds of many Americans over the
holiday season going into the New Year is that of the self-sacrifice made by
the young men and women of our United States Military. Whether they be Marines, Army, Navy Air Force, or Coast
Guard, our service members are spending the holidays thousands of miles away from their loved ones
overseas deployed in a combat zone in either Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

I mean, truthfully
speaking, unless you have a family member, loved one or friend overseas, most
people don’t really pay no mind to the fact that these young men and women who
are sacrificing their lives on a daily bases to protect the freedoms we repeatedly
taken for granted in this country.

Speaking from personal
experience, I know exactly what’s it like to be overseas instead of being with
my family on Christmas and New Years; I served in two combat tours in Iraq,
most recently, returning from a 14-month deployment where I was stationed at
Camp Fallujah,
a Marine base outside of the city of Fallujah.

 

Though
away from our families, the comradely between service members, the care packages,
letters from loved ones and the hopes of making it home soon are what help keep
them going while trying to break up the monotony of working 14 hour days, seven
days a week.

 

Military
bases like Camp Fallujah were odd but surreal places.  From the outside
the camp is a series of large walls surrounding the camp, but inside, were these
buildings the coalition forces had built to its best to create a small slice of
America while service members are away from their families.  There were
two cafeterias, an indoor gym, a soccer field, international gift and souvenirs
shops, internet cafes, and phones to call home.

 

The
cafeterias are decorated with Christmas decorations and cooked special dinners
like prime rib, shrimp cocktail and a cake in the shape — and nearly the size
— of a Christmas tree. While most units may not get the entire day off on
Christmas, but the lucky ones that do immediately pack the call centers and
internet cafes throughout the day. Others improvised; like outdoor barbecuing,
some peppered their barren bases and heavily armored MRAPs (Mine Resistant
Ambush-Protected vehicles) with creative signs of Christmas while others used
this time to be creative by building an ersatz Christmas tree out of stacked
communications equipment at their work spaces.

 

By
nightfall, there are signs of relaxation setting in; it may be just exhaustion
being allowed to surface at last where it has been kept abetted by sheer
discipline, training and necessity.   But there is part of them that
does not fully relax.  You can see it in their eyes.  I am afraid it
will always be that way for these men and women. They have seen more, done
more, and felt more than one should at their age. It’s hard, I guess, even for
an 18 year old to shift gears from being on guard, from shooting and being shot
at to suddenly want to party. The troops gather around a fire pit. Nearby
someone sets up a table stacked with cigars and cans of non-alcoholic beer. A
radio blared Christmas classics and hip hop.

 

As
the night goes on, in the city Fallujah, where violence is relatively low,
coalition forces could not escape the risks of war. A mortar landed in a nearby
base, which arrived with a muddled thump as the group of Marines sang carols
together over the fire. By evening, commanders began planning for the next
day’s patrols.

These
men and women have served with honor, continue to serve with honor, but they
have mortgaged their youthful innocence in the service of their country in a
hostile and dangerous land but for now, it’s the holidays. So while you enjoy
your holidays on the home front, the forgotten protectors of yesterday strive
to one day return home to see a brighter tomorrow.