This Holiday Season, Don’t Forget Those Who Serve

We drove 1,940 miles and spent 34 hours on the road over five days to spend Thanksgiving with our Soldier. It was worth every mile and every hour to have our family together during the holiday of thanks.

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My husband has spent 35 years in the military. I’ve had the privilege of spending 30 of those years with him. My husband has deployed seven times to all parts of the world, so we are quite familiar with being apart over the holidays. However, sending our son off to basic training for 10 weeks and now to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for another 16 weeks has been a whole new experience with an entirely different set of emotions attached to it. 

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During our separations, our families, friends, and community members have been so amazing. From helping transport our children to activities, to helping with household needs, someone was always there to step in and help when we needed it most.

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With over 100,000 troops deployed around the world and thousands more away from home while in training, I’m often asked how to support troops and their families during times apart. Below are ways to help military members and families feel more connected:

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• Mail call for all: It doesn’t matter what you send. Mail call is looked forward to by everyone. Everyone who is expecting a letter that is. The U.S. Post Office offers free Military Care Package Kits with flat-rate boxes for everything you need to send a care package. Military One Source provides lists of ideas for what to send. And, if you don’t have a military member in mind to send a care package to, the USO can help.

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• Don’t forget your local trainees: There are thousands of trainees away from home at all times of the year. Many training bases have Adopt A Service Member programs such as “Operation Home Cooking,” “Adopt An Airman,” “Host A Marine,” and “Adopt A Soldier.” To become a volunteer, contact the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) office at your closest military installation. 

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• Video games connect: All six service branches of the military have esports teams. Video games can be a welcome distraction and a way to fight stress and isolation, as well as to bond with other service members and to connect with those at home. With the rise of leagues, such as the Military Gaming League (MGL), that focus on military communities and their supporters, service people can use their cell phones, PCs, or consoles, on or offline, to connect and compete.

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• Families fight, too: When it comes to “What can I do to help military families?” my answer is always, “Don’t ask. Just do.” My husband was at a three-month training school, and our children were four and six. I’ll never forget being inside our house and hearing lawn mowers and trimmers outside my window. Friends of ours had come to mow our lawn. It was such a relief to have that off my plate for the week. Another time, a friend invited our kids over to play so I could shop for Christmas. It’s hard to ask for help when you are trying to be tough. Kindness is always appreciated.

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With less than 1% of people in the United States serving in the military and 70% of new recruits having family members who have previously served, maintaining morale and showing appreciation and support is important to maintaining a ready force. Add your ideas of how to support military members and their families on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.

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Dr. Kristy Custer is the President of Educational Innovation for the High School Esports League. Prior to joining HSEL, Dr. Custer worked in education for 24 years as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. The past 20 years she has worked with at-risk students helping her school earn two National School of Character designations as well as a Crystal Star Award for dropout prevention from the National Dropout Prevention Network. Dr. Custer is the 2018 Kansas High School Principal of the year.

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