Soldiers Celebrate Christmas in Iraq

Dec. 25, 2006 — -- The soldiers in the division motor pool of the First Cavalry Division in Camp Liberty have a mission in Iraq -- even on Christmas Day.

"We try and keep the Christmas spirit up as much as we can," PFC Mike Grocke, a mechanic in the division motor pool, told "Good Morning America."

Grocke is not tall, but his friends call him "Boulder," and he knows about trucks.

At home in Fort Hood, Texas, his wife Stacey and 2-year-old son Chase are waiting for him to return.

"It stinks. I would like to be there -- watch my son open up his presents," Grocke said. "I'd like to be there with my wife, but I gotta do what I gotta do."

But Grocke won't be completely alone for Christmas. His twin brother Mark Grocke, nicknamed G-Rock, works in another motor pool just down the road. His wife is Mandy and his son Nathan is six years old.

"He's into Spiderman right now -- Spiderman, Superman, all those superheroes," Mark said about his son. "But he also really loves trucks."

Christmas is just another working day in Iraq. The brothers hope they will both get off early enough to have Christmas dinner together.

Sgt. Monant Viruet fixes generators. Her husband, Rafael, and her five children are nine time zones away in Texas.

"By the time they even get up and start opening presents, I should be good and ready and into the Christmas spirit," Viruet said.

Christmas is not a big deal in Iraq, a majority Muslim country.

"We kind of get a little bit of holiday spirit with our tree and get to listen to some Christmas carols on the radio every now and then, but it's definitely different," said PFC Christopher Kendall.

But one thing the troops don't lack is Christmas goodies.

"My mother-in-law's church group sent a bunch of cookies and fudge and they've been sending all kinds of food," Kendall said. "I guess they think we're starving over here."

It may not be home, but for these soldiers, Christmas is a moveable feast.