'Twas a Night in December

By Jian DeLeon, Ian Graham and Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON - Servicemembers stationed from Antarctica to Afghanistan lent their talents and time to craft a video for a poem titled "'Twas a Night in December," based on Clement Clarke Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas," but rewritten with a military twist.

More than 40 commands around the world, representing every branch of the military service, participated.

Along with the military people who contributed to this creative effort, country music star Toby Keith introduced the video, reinforcing his long-term support for military and their families stationed around the world.

Some of the servicemembers involved in this holiday greeting were located in the most remote regions in the world. For example, Air Force Capt. Graydon Muller of 6th Special Operations Squadron and Air Force Capt. Rob Marshall of the 8th Special Operations Squadron departed Nov. 24 to climb Vinson Massif, the highest mountain in Antarctica. Muller and Massif took time away from their climb to speak a few lines for the video.

Other servicemembers from Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Pakistan and throughout the United States participated in making the video. In fact, people on six out of the world's seven continents took part. The video was produced by Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.

'Twas a Night in December

'Twas a night in December and all over the world,
At bases and stations where our flag flies unfurled,
The Holiday season had long since commenced,
And spread its spirit of cheer through the Department of Defense.

Combat boots sat at ease by the fence line with care,
In hopes that a return date soon would be there.

At home, loved ones slept sound in their beds,
With visions of troops coming home in their heads.
As Moms perform night patrols, and Dads conduct checks,
A long winter's nap is the last thing they expect.
When out on the tarmac arose such a clatter,
Soldiers and sailors sprang up to see what was the matter.

Away to the deck, they hustled, they dashed,
Some ran through a passageway, one opened a hatch.

In Antarctica, moonlight shimmered on the snow,
A sliver of light shown on the objects below.
And what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But letters and packages bundled with care.
Yet it wasn't just there that we saw these things land,
We received them as well, here in Afghanistan!
They were packaged so well that they could withstand,
The harsh desert winds full of Iraqi sand.
Onto Nicaragua with volcanoes and lakes,
Padded so carefully that nothing would break
Addressed from our family and friends we hold dear,
With Holiday greetings and a "Wish You Were Here!"
We lined up and claimed them, with smiles ear-to-ear,
Every person overcome with Holiday cheer.

Your support and your thoughts are the best possible gift,
We send you our thanks for giving our spirits such a lift.
Thanks from the National Guard
Thanks from the Army,
Thanks from the Navy,
Thanks from the Marines,
Thanks from the Air Force,
Thanks from the Coast Guard,
We want you to know how much this gift means.
In our eyes you're super, and we mean A-OK.

We will do our duty and keep defending our freedom,
And wish you and yours the very best this Holiday season!

Time to Give Thanks to the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsman

For those seeking a quick way to show appreciation for troops' serving far from home this holiday season, look no further than "Giving Thanks," a new initiative from the Defense Department's America Supports You program.

America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

"This is a simple way to connect our citizens to our (servicemembers) using modern technology," Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison, said of the text messaging program.

The program officially kicked off Nov. 17 and concludes at midnight PST Nov. 22. Between those times, people wishing to express gratitude to the troops for their service can text a brief message to 89279. Each text message sent will receive a response from an active-duty servicemember in return.

Major mobile wireless providers, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile, will provide access to the Giving Thanks text messaging program.

"We know that thousands of families will be sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner and thinking about loved ones who are far away from home serving their country," Ms. Barber said. "We are counting on other American families to take a moment during their holiday celebration to think of those families and their family members who are serving and say, 'Thanks.'

"The reassurance that others are thinking about them will mean a lot to our troops," she added.

Those who send a message during the six days of the Giving Thanks program also will be directed to the America Supports You Web site. There, they'll find a sampling of messages from the public and a running tally of how many messages have been received. They'll also be able to read messages from the troops.

Some servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan already have sent messages thanking the public for the support. Angie, an Airman serving in Iraq, wrote: "Your support means so much, especially during the holidays. God Bless."

Troops of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan also wrote to express their appreciation for the continued support they receive.

"To all the great Americans who go out of their way to support all the Soldiers of the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan, thank you."

In an effort to reach the Hispanic community, which is represented in large numbers in the armed services, America Supports You is working with Interlex, an advertising, marketing and public relations firm with multicultural capabilities.

"What we are doing is complementing the general market efforts to mobilize the Hispanic community to become involved in America Supports You," said Rolando Rodriguez, Interlex's managing director for public relations and community-based outreach. "Obviously that's important because many Hispanics do consume different press than the general market would."

The firm's goal is to inform Hispanic communities that many Hispanic youth are serving in the military. "There (also) are a number of Hispanic families that (will be) impacted during the holidays because (the servicemembers) are not sitting at the table with them, so it's important to show their appreciation," Rodriguez said.

MTV Tr3s, an American Spanish-language network launched in September 2006, is one way the firm hopes to reach America's Hispanic community. The network reaches 30 million homes and 6.5 million Hispanic households across the country, Rodriguez said.

"MTV Tr3s has Mi TRL, (and) what they're going to do is ... live reads on their video countdown, which is their signature program," he said. "They're going to talk about, 'Hey, support this initiative.'"

Mi TRL also will run a banner at the bottom of the screen promoting the text messaging program. In addition, the program will air a full screen of information on how to thank troops.

Interlex USA also is working to involve Hispanic celebrities to let the Hispanic community know that thanking a servicemember for their sacrifices this holiday season is as easy as sending a text message.

"When we talk about text messaging, Hispanics ... out-pace all groups," Mr. Rodriguez said, adding the text messaging group tends to be younger, much like MTV Tr3s viewers, who range from 12-34.

He added that his team is working to get the message out to Hispanic communities in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Dallas through Spanish-language media outlets, as well as entertainment and sporting venues.

These are the same types of venues that will carry information about the America Supports You Giving Thanks program to the general market, officials said.