Thanksgiving 2025; some reflections

Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to give thanks for the people we’ve had the opportunity to meet in our lives, even if briefly.  Today I want to update a prior post and add some thoughts for this special day.

Before doing that, let’s think of America’s troops, especially those serving overseas this holiday.  U.S. troops are at “roughly 750 US foreign military bases…spread across 80 nations.”  There are, incidentally, still about 1,500 troops in Syria and over 2,000 in Iraq. Let’s also not forget that nearly half of our military is aged 25 or younger.  Even here at home, hundreds of thousands are stationed where the Nation needs them, which may be far from friends and families.

Leaders assigned to the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) serve a Thanksgiving meal at Camp Bull Simons, Fla., Nov. 20, 2025. Credit: Army Sgt. Travis Denny

To ensure as many people as possible receive a special Thanksgiving meal, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) began its plan last spring.  Given the size of the task, you can understand why.  Here’s what is being sent to the troops this year:

• 152,626 pounds of turkey (includes whole and roasted turkey)

• 124,022 pounds of beef

• 66,054 pounds of ham

• 38,081 pounds of shrimp

• 6,512 cans of sweet potatoes

• 15,282 cases of pies and cakes

• 792 cases of eggnog

The Department of War has an excellent history of Thanksgiving (here), and it contends “we can attribute its creation largely to the military.”  It argues, “Thanksgiving didn’t really become any kind of tradition until we were trying to unify the nation during two of our biggest early struggles – the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.” 

Another interesting read for the holiday is journalist Haley Fuller’s article Thanksgiving as a Strategic Military Tool.  She says:

Thanksgiving serves as more than a cultural tradition. It has long been woven into national strategy, used to stabilize morale, reinforce political unity, and strengthen the relationship between civilians and the armed forces. The holiday’s unique blend of gratitude and national identity makes it a powerful tool – one presidents and military leaders have consciously relied on for more than a century.

Military leaders do have a tradition of morale-bolstering visits to troops on holidays, and especially Thanksgiving.  Allow me to share my memory of one such visit decades ago that I first wrote about in 2022.

A Thanksgiving in Africa 

Years ago, I spent Thanksgiving in Africa while deployed for Operation Provide Relief, an effort to airlift food and medical supplies to starving Somalis.  I talk about my experiences in this article in my undergraduate (St Joseph’s University) alumni magazine: “A Hawk in a Land of Vultures” (St Joe students were known as hawks because of the school’s mascot).  Lots of memories!

Despite enormous efforts, the operation (later renamed Operation Restore Hope) devolved into bitter confrontations with Somali warlords, culminating in the firefight (long after my deployment) immortalized in the book and movie Black Hawkat I wrote:

“Forty-four Americans paid the ultimate price while trying to help. Scores more are crippled and disfigured for life. I suspect there will be no “Wall” in Washington, D.C. for these soldiers and airmen, and their sacrifice in Somalia will soon be all but forgotten. But I can’t forget. At least they tried to give the Somalis hope. The only true failure is the failure to try.”

Some sources say the operation did save about 100,000 Somali lives.

But my Thanksgiving memory relates to then commander of U.S. Transportation Command, General Ron Fogleman, who showed up shortly before the holiday with a planeload of meals for everyone – which we enjoyed at an open-air Thanksgiving dinner.

I was attached to a headquarters element entirely comprised of U.S. Marines, except for an Army officer and another Air Force officer.  However, because the ‘guest of honor’ so to speak was an Air Force general, I was told to sit at the head table. 

My boss, a Marine general, introduced everyone to our guest.  I didn’t expect General Fogleman to know anything about me, just another lieutenant colonel on our small staff.  I was really surprised when he brought up my 1992 war college essay (“The Origins of the American Military Coup of 2012”) for which I received an award from General Colin Powell. 

We then had a short but animated conversation about civil-military relations, history, politics, and more.  (General Fogleman earned a master’s degree in military history and political science from Duke University in 1971). The interaction made an impact in a place far away from home on a holiday, and it is now a wonderful memory.

I’ve found the finest leaders express a sincere interest in, and loyalty to, their subordinates.

What made my experience particularly special was that years later, when General Fogleman became Air Force Chief of Staff, our paths crossed at a formal military dinner at Offutt Air Force Base, where I was then serving with U.S. Strategic Command. 

At the reception, he approached and, astonishingly (to me anyway!), picked up our conversation exactly where we left it years ago at that open-air Thanksgiving dinner in Africa!  I, and those with me, were amazed!  To me, this was real leadership in action.

For me, it is a memory from more than 30 years ago that comes to mind this Thanksgiving, but you each have your own.  Think about the wonderful people you’ve known in your life, and don’t forget to give thanks for the 1.3 million active duty troops (and thousands more in the Guard and Reserves) standing watch around the world, helping to keep us safe in a dangerous world.