Across the holiday season, thousands of American service members are stationed far from home, keeping watch, carrying out missions and carving out moments of normalcy where they can. This piece looks at how troops mark the holidays overseas, the traditions and outreach that support them, and the ways different tours and locations shape the experience. From base mess halls to aircraft carrier decks, the season is reshaped by mission demands and the resourcefulness of service members and their communities.
U.S. forces are deployed across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, balancing operational priorities with a desire to recognize the season. Troops often make do with decorations in workspaces, living quarters and dining facilities, turning sparse spaces into festive corners. These small efforts help lift spirits when family and familiar comforts are thousands of miles away.
Bases commonly schedule special holiday meals and gatherings, and it is not unusual to see commanders and senior enlisted leaders serving food or joining the lines. Chaplains arrange services when security and schedules permit, sometimes holding them in chapels, aircraft hangars or makeshift spaces. For sailors at sea, the holiday routines are adapted between watches, with decorated mess decks and staggered meals around ongoing operations.
Recently, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth made morale calls from the Pentagon to service members stationed in places like South Korea, Kuwait, Norway, Greenland and aboard a carrier in the Pacific. Those calls were meant to thank troops for standing watch and to acknowledge the variety of missions that continue through the holidays. Recognition from senior leaders often matters more than ceremony when deployments stretch across time zones and duty rosters.
In Japan, installations place a strong emphasis on community traditions to bolster morale among long-term residents and transient personnel. At Yokota Air Base, leaders handed out baked cookies in a longstanding “Cookie Crunch” program to support airmen living in dorms during the season. The U.S. Band of the Pacific commonly performs holiday music, using concerts to connect with host-nation communities and offer a sense of celebration.
Operation Christmas Drop remains one of the most visible examples of holiday-season activity in the region, blending humanitarian aid with training and cooperation. Now in its 74th year, the effort concluded at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, where teams packed and airlifted hundreds of aid bundles by C-130 to remote island communities. The mission reflects how seasonal activities can also serve practical training and partnership goals.
How the holidays play out depends heavily on assignment type and location. In places like Japan and parts of Europe, many service members serve accompanied tours, which means families are present and bases can host larger, family-focused events. By contrast, deployments to the Middle East and some parts of Africa are usually unaccompanied, so observances tend to be smaller, more intimate and constrained by security protocols.
Leave policies add another layer: those on long-term overseas assignments might get home travel or time with family if the schedule allows, but troops on rotational or combat deployments usually stay in place while units maintain full mission posture. Across Europe, U.S. troops continue NATO deterrence and forward presence efforts while leaders encourage soldiers to embrace local culture and stay connected with loved ones when possible. Messages from senior enlisted and commanders often focus on resilience and community support during the season.
The United Service Organizations plays a consistent role providing comfort and connection to deployed personnel during the holidays. USO centers, mobile teams and expeditionary units bring festive meals, decorations and places to relax, reaching even remote postings with brief chances to recharge. Those pockets of normalcy—shared meals, music, or a staffed lounge with a friendly volunteer—make a real difference for service members far from home.
Ultimately, holiday observances overseas tend to be practical and understated, shaped by mission needs and local conditions rather than pageantry. Traditions differ by base, by region and by the tempo of operations, yet service members keep finding ways to recognize the season within the realities of deployment. Those small, quiet moments—shared plates, a decorated corner, a brief chapel service—offer a reminder of home amid the demands of duty.
Darnell Thompkins is a Canadian-born American and conservative opinion writer who brings a unique perspective to political and cultural discussions. Passionate about traditional values and individual freedoms, Darnell’s commentary reflects his commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue. When he’s not writing, he enjoys watching hockey and celebrating the sport that connects his Canadian roots with his American journey.