Missouri has the smallest number of National Guard soldiers stationed overseas this Christmas that it’s had in several years. Most of them are in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Guard Major Tammy Spicer says, however, that two-thousand members of the Missouri Guard are looking at deployments in the next two years, meaning they’ll miss either Christmas 20-11 or Christmas 20-12.
Spicer says technology has vastly improved communications between soldiers overseas and those at home. She says her ability to phone home on Christmas Day was an important link for her when her unit was in Iraq for Christmas, 2003.
She says deployed units work hard to celebrate the holiday with special meals and special celebrations with the deployed family, which says the National Guard is.
One good thing about being overseas, though: Christmas shopping in foreign countries can mean unique Christmas gifts for the family back in the states.
Maj. Tammy Spicer talks with Bob Priddy 4:39 mp3
