Thanksgiving in a War Zone

For the first time in twenty years, there will be no Thanksgiving celebration in Afghanistan. I have celebrated Thanksgiving serving overseas in South Korea, Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan; however, the Thanksgiving celebration in Afghanistan in 2012 was the most memorable due to its impact on the international coalition.

Each nation that participated in the coalition mission in Afghanistan was allowed to celebrate two national holidays. The first experience I had in Afghanistan was Spain’s celebration of King Juan Carlos Day, and the Spanish delegation celebrated by sharing large amounts of Paella with the assembled audience. The United States celebrated July 4th, an obvious choice, but I felt the celebration could have been better. The United States made up for it for the Thanksgiving celebration.

On Thanksgiving Day, everyone waited in anticipation for the dining facility to open. In my previous experiences overseas, I knew that senior leaders dressed in their dress uniforms to serve the meal to their subordinates. Every year, the U.S. military ships thousands of turkeys overseas its troops to give a taste of home. However, in Iraq, my memory was that the Turkey served was the canned sliced version. I was unsure if real Turkey or canned Turkey would be served, but I hoped for real Turkey.

The moment arrived when the doors to the dining facility opened, and the line to enter stretched as far back as I could see. Hundreds of coalition members had lined up for the festivities, and thankfully they were rewarded for their patience. As people walked in, they were welcomed by the full selection of Thanksgiving food that included mashed potatoes, candied yams, green bean casserole, and more. Best of all was the real Turkey and Holiday Hams being carved. No canned Turkey or Ham for folks. This was the real deal; however, there was more.

Inside, there were additional tables with a wonderful selection of items, including shrimp cocktail, sparkling grape juice (alcohol was not permitted), and deserts. A unique thing I saw was the Turkeys made from Twix chocolate bars. That is right, full-scale Twix Turkeys for people to enjoy. It was amazing to see everyone's reaction when they saw the Twix Turkeys too. It was a work of art!

I looked around to observe everyone’s reaction. Everyone was amazed at the amount of food available. From what I remember, most Americans, Western Europeans (British, French, Spaniards, Italians), Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders who were trying to stay fit moderated the amount of food they packed on their plates and ate. However, it was fun to see the reaction of Eastern Europeans who happily piled tons of food as though they hit the jackpot. The mood throughout the dining facility was cheerful, and everyone enjoyed the experience. Unlike the experience at home where Thanksgiving leftovers last for days, most of the Thanksgiving food, including the Twix Turkeys, was gone within a day.

To recover from the amazing Thanksgiving dinner, many folks ensured they hit the gym hard the next day. I don't remember what the crossfit workout was following Thanksgiving, but I am sure it was brutal to help burn off the calories.

Thanksgiving Day is a day to be grateful. While it was hard to be away from my family that year, it was great to experience the holiday with members of the international coalition that bonded together in wartime. I will never forget my Thanksgiving in a war zone and the looks of joy on the face of everyone in attendance. Sadly, there will never be another Thanksgiving in Afghanistan, but those who experienced it will never forget that the United States shared its holiday with the rest of the coalition in grand sytle.