Holidays special for military personnel, families

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Those who serve in America's armed forces can never make up lost time with their families, but they can be present in the moments they do have.

On Thanksgiving Day a lot of dads will be outside tossing a football while waiting for that turkey to cook and the relatives to arrive.

For Army Reservist Bryce Brown, this year he's home to do just that.

He's not deployed overseas and in a chow line.

"Getting ready to have dinner tonight with our families at four o'clock. Just making sure everything is prepped," Brown said.

His wife, Traci, weathered his two deployments. One included the birth of his youngest son.

"My middle child was born while I was gone. I was in Iraq. When I came home he was 9 months old," Brown said.

At home his wife was doing the best she could.

"You can put on smile and face the world everyday but behind closed doors it's not easy task to be apart from your soldier, to go through holidays like this," Traci Brown said.

Traci's wish - that he come home safe and sound - was granted, and the year has passed quickly.

Bryce is currently working toward a degree in law enforcement, but he is still a reservist in the 729th Transportation Unit and subject to active duty if need be.

"These kinds of days make you treasure every moment together, every single moment because you never know when they get that phone call and have to go back," Traci Brown said.

On this day, this family is very thankful to be together on Thanksgiving.

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united states airforce, united states army, united states marine corps, united states national guard, united states navy, local, nancy osborne

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