By: Gracie Meoni

When I think of holidays, I think of stringing up lights, praying for snow, and being with none other than my family, cuddled up by a fire. And though this is the season that almost everyone gets a holiday wish, not all of them get granted.

For some families, they will have an empty seat at the table where their son, brother, father, sister, mother, daughter, aunt or uncle would sit. Why? They won’t be home for the holidays because they are giving the best gift of all: service to their country.

Approximately 1. 4 million troops across the entire military won’t be home for the holidays.
Instead, these service men and women will be celebrating on foreign military bases. Don’t get me wrong, they still celebrate the holidays. They decorate with Santa faces, mini Christmas trees and eat fancier meals than Meals Ready to Eat with their fellow comrades in the dining hall. They will probably Skype or FaceTime family and friends, and hopefully get a present from home.

However, some won’t.With the recent attacks in Paris, it is logical to assume that countries from all over the world may be planting boots on the ground soon, just in time for the holidays.

Senior Dom Torrez whose brother Alcario Torrez who graduated class of 2014,  is in the Marines Air Traffic and is stationed in South Carolina.  He says that though his family “Will celebrate, everyone will still miss him.” Luckily the brothers get to “talk once or twice a week on the phone.” Dom says that he is following in his brother’s footsteps and is shipping out August 15, 2016.

For others, they will just be getting started on their adventures into the service. Senior Alexi Budoff is joining the marines and is shipping out the beginning of February.

Now I’m sure you’re thinking you can’t do anything, and you aren’t about to fly over there and visit with them. But you can send them gifts/care packs with shaving cream, candies, non perishable or non breakable things that you think what they would like. You can send our troops cards and letters over this season. You can head over to anysolider.com and pick a soldier that you wish to support!