Stuffing, laughter, and absent friends

This year, I’m hosting my first Thanksgiving at my own house, meaning chaos, smoke alarms, and the very real possibility that someone will eat all the stuffing before dinner. And yet, as I run through my mental checklist of mashed potatoes, gravy, and rolls, my mind drifts to the seats I wish were filled. Not just family, but friends from a Thanksgiving many years ago, far from home in Sierra Vista, Arizona, Fort Huachuca, Advanced Individual Training (AIT).

I was 20 years old and facing my first holiday without my family. The military, ever organized and accommodating, made room at tables for...