By Danielle DeSimone

What is “home”? Is it a place? A group of people? Is it the twinkle of lights in the window as you pull into your grandmother’s driveway? Is it the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg blooming out of the kitchen? The laughter of your children as they roll in the snow? The comfort that comes from a meal shared with friends and family?

Whatever “home” might be to you, for our nation’s service members who are deployed overseas this holiday season, home is a little farther out of reach. It can be especially difficult for military members to be apart from family and friends during this time, and even missing the little things – like certain snacks or meals – can make life on the front lines all the more challenging.

That’s why, with the help of generous Americans, the USO is always by the side of our service members to offer support and a little piece of home to keep spirits high. Here are the things American troops in Eastern Europe, responding to the war in Ukraine, miss most about home during the holidays, and how the USO is supporting them.