be in good spirits. well, while the u.s. military has now left iraq, tens of thousands of american service members remain in afghanistan for the tenth christmas in a row. the holiday was able to make its presence known among them so far from home. >> merry christmas! >> reporter: tonisha starts off christmas at camp acres as she does every day, reaching out to her home. a mother and a wife, she knows the pain of being this far away, especially at this time of year. it's her job to make things better as a morale officer. she helps them fight depression and alleviate stress. >> we are here to do a job, but in order to do it effectively and productively, you have to have a peace of mind. >> reporter: she reminds troops that folks back home care, handing out goodies sent by grateful americans. and she sets up special events like this jingle bells race,