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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Pvt. Jasiri Kirkland gave up his holiday leave in exchange for a month to spend later this winter with his 18-month-old son, a swap shared by only a fraction of his fellow soldiers in training.
"This is the first time being away from him for this long," Kirkland, of Columbus, Ga., who is training at Fort Lee, about 25 miles south of Richmond, said after a recent trip with fellow soldiers to an ice skating rink. "It's very difficult. This is the most happy time of the year. But I'm staying here for a good reason."
The Army is the only military service that allows all of its soldiers in training to go home for the holiday season. The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps do not shut down basic training, but do allow students in technical schools to go home.
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