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As millions of Americans gather with their loved ones to celebrate Christmas and ring in the new year, hundreds of thousands of American men and women in uniform will celebrate the holidays far from their families in decidedly less festive corners of the world.
As of June, 165,830 US military personnel were deployed to the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific region and Europe. That figure has likely increased amid recent unrest across the Middle East, and does not include service members working on U.S. bases on vacation or civilian personnel on overseas contracts.
Here’s a look at where service members will spend the holidays on deployment around the world:
Middle East
About 43,000 troops are stationed across the Middle East as of October, an increase from the usual 34,000 amid recent unrest and the outbreak of war between Israel and Iranian proxy forces Hamas and Hezbollah.
The Pentagon announced in October that it would send troops to Cyprus to prepare for escalating unrest in Lebanon. And last week the Pentagon disclosed that some 2,100 troops were in Syria, not the 900 it had long claimed. Another 1,000 soldiers are in Iraq carrying out missions to thwart ISIS.
A map showing the positions of US Navy assets in the Middle East. (Fox News)
Europe
US forces are stationed throughout Europe to support NATO forces and deter any potential Russian aggression.
Top deployment areas include Germany (34,894), Italy (12,319) and the United Kingdom (10,180).
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Indonesian Army Training Center Deputy Commander Air Marshal Widyargo Ikoputra and Maj. Gen. Joseph R. Harris II, Hawaii Air National Guard Commander, inspect military personnel from Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Britain and the United States during the opening ceremony of the Super Garuda Shield Joint Military Exercises at an Indonesian Naval Aviation Center in Sidoarjo, East Java, Aug. 26 2024. (JUNI KRISWANTO/AFP PHOTO/AFP)
Asia
U.S. forces partner with allies in Asia to conduct joint exercises and coordinate fight against threat from China and
Deployment areas include South Korea (23,732), Japan (52,852) and Guam (6,453).
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South Korean and U.S. soldiers pose for photos after their joint live-fire exercise at a military training range in Pocheon on March 14, 2024 as part of the annual Freedom Shield joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States. (JUNG YEON-JE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin thanked U.S. troops for their service during the holiday season in a holiday message.
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“We know firsthand that the holidays can be especially difficult if you’re away from your loved ones. So, to our troops stationed around the world, we deeply appreciate your sacrifice,” he said. “We know their families serve too, and our military families are the foundation of America’s strength.”
