Fort Gordon Soldiers leave for Christmas Break and will travel through USO Georgia on their way home! [vodpod id=ExternalVideo.908468&w=425&h=350&fv=]

more about “Fort Gordon Soldiers Leave For Christ…”, posted with vodpod
Video courtesy WJBF News.

Today it’s also St. Louis’s turn to manage the thousands of troops traveling for Block Leave.  And it’s going great!

Pvt. Joseph Hancock, Company F, 795th Military Police Battalion, loads his duffel bag into the van of his friend, Desiree Hendley, left. Hancock is returning home to Indianapolis, Ind., for Holiday Block Leave. The Holiday Block Leave gives Soldiers an opportunity to spend the holidays at home. (Photo courtesy myGuidon.com)

Todd Nelson, Directorate of Plans, Training and Mobilization operations specialist at Fort Leonard Wood explained, “Once we get to the St. Louis airport, there will be drill sergeants from the 1st Engineer Brigade to offload the Soldiers and get them checked into the correct airlines. The St. Louis USO, in conjunction with many other agencies, will be on hand to offer the Soldiers free entertainment and things to do while they wait for their flights.  Then, in January, we get to do the whole process in reverse, but this time, everyone already has their return ticket.“  Read the full story here from Guidon.com.

Indeed, for the St. Louis USO this is the busiest day of the year.  As stltoday.com is reporting, "Buses from Fort Leonard Wood began pulling up at Lambert about 3 a.m. today. That’s when the disc jockey inside the USO started playing songs, taking requests for everything from rap to country music.  Some of the soldiers won’t catch flights home until 6 or 7 p.m., so they’re in for a long wait at the airport. Kathy O'Connor, executive director of the USO of Missouri Inc. said the USO tries to make it a party atmosphere. Local businesses have donated food. The troops can have their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus.  'Everything we have for them is free,’ O'Connor said as she stood at the James S. McDonnell USO Reception Desk. ‘We try and give them a holiday sendoff.’”