Perspective: Army Tries to Buoy Holiday Spirits of Trainees

RICHMOND, Va. -- Pvt. Jasiri Kirkland gave up his holiday leave in exchange for a month to spend later this winter with his 18-month-old son, a swap shared by only a fraction of his fellow soldiers in training.

"This is the first time being away from him for this long," Kirkland, of Columbus, Ga., who is training at Fort Lee, about 25 miles south of Richmond, said after a recent trip with fellow soldiers to an ice skating rink. "It's very difficult. This is the most happy time of the year. But I'm staying here for a good reason."

The Army is the only military service that allows all of its soldiers in training to go home for the holiday season. The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps do not shut down basic training, but do allow students in technical schools to go home.

About 1,700 of the Army's 78,000 trainees didn't go home from the Army's 16 training bases during the service's two-week holiday exodus.

The Army tries to keep trainees such as Kirkland, 25, in high spirits by taking them on outings for bowling, a hockey game or a special holiday meals with people in the community.

"Christmas is probably one of the happiest times of the year and also probably going to be one of the more depressing times of the year if you're not with your family and friends," said Capt. Dhramen Singh, commander for headquarters and headquarters company for the 244th Quartermaster Battalion at Fort Lee.

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