While millions of Americans gather with loved ones to celebrate the Christmas holidays and usher in the New Year, hundreds of thousands of American men and women in uniform are separated from their families in distinctly festive-free parts of the world. I will be on vacation.
As of June, 165,830 U.S. military personnel were deployed to the Middle East, Indo-Pacific region, and Europe. This number is likely to rise further in the wake of recent unrest across the Middle East, and does not include military personnel working on U.S. military bases or on overseas contracts while on leave.
Below is a list of where military members spend their time off for deployment around the world.
middle east
As of October, there were about 43,000 troops stationed across the Middle East, compared to the usual 34,000 troops amid recent unrest and the outbreak of war between Israel and Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah. It is increasing from people.
In October, the Pentagon announced it was sending troops to Cyprus in preparation for the escalating unrest in Lebanon. And last week, the Pentagon revealed there were about 2,100 troops in Syria, not the 900 they had long claimed. Another 1,000 troops are on a mission to stop ISIS in Iraq.
A map showing the location of U.S. Navy assets in the Middle East. (Fox News)
Europe
US troops are stationed across Europe to support NATO forces and deter a potential Russian invasion.
Key deployment areas include Germany (34,894), Italy (12,319) and the United Kingdom (10,180).
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Air Marshal Widialgo Icoputra, Deputy Commander of the Indonesian Army Training Center, and Maj. Gen. Joseph R. Harris II, Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard, welcomed military personnel from Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States during the opening ceremony. Inspection. Super Garuda Shield joint military exercise held at the Indonesian Naval Aviation Center in Sidoarjo, East Java, August 26, 2024 (Juni Kriswanto/AFP Photo/AFP)
Asia
The U.S. military coordinates with allies in Asia, conducting joint exercises and working together to counter China and the Chinese threat.
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 a photo after a live-fire exercise at the Pocheon Military Training Range as part of the annual South Korean-U.S. Freedom Shield joint military exercise, March 14, 2024. (JUNG YEON-JE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
In his Christmas message, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin thanked U.S. troops for their service during the holiday season.
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“We know firsthand that the holidays can be especially difficult when you’re far away from your loved ones, which is why we deeply appreciate the sacrifices of our nation’s military throughout the world.” said. “We know that your family members are military members, too, and we know that our military families are the foundation of America’s strength.”
