Cheers began to ring across the parking lot as buses rolled in , unloading hundreds of tired naval recruits. But instead of drills and discipline, this day promised something else. Relaxation, food, and games followed at this year’s Thanksgiving with the troops. The annual event allows for the Leyden community to connect with recruits , learn more about them, and give back as a sign of appreciation for their service. For the fresh recruits, it’s a break after weeks of boot camp.
“Most of these young men are legit no older than 18, close to our age range, so I was able to get along well with them,” Julian Cisneros said, a student volunteer at the event. “It’s definitely humbling as it makes you reflect on how much sacrifice they give, but a great experience. I’m sure I’m going to do it again.” Students and troops played games, watched NFL matches, and bonded over experiences. Another student volunteer, Daniel Domagalski ,shared his experience citing ,”It felt good to interact and bring some joy to the troops. I wanted to give back to people who are helping keep our country safe.”
Additionally, volunteers helped serve a delicious ,traditional thanksgiving meal to the recruits. They also guided them to zoom/ phone calls to connect with family. “ We’ve been disconnected basically from everything that’s going on in the world for about seven and a half to eight weeks, ” Denis said. But this is probably the best thing that’s happened to us in boot camp. For sure, for sure, we’re really grateful.” Denis, a naval recruit, described his experience in boot camp. Recruits must be focused and disciplined, meaning long, hard hours of physical and mental strain. Denis acts as a mentor figure to some of the younger recruits in his group. Denis stated,“Because I’m 24 and some of the guys are 17 or 18, and just letting them know. Hey man, you’re not in this by yourself. We’re all going through the same thing. We’re all trying to make the best out of our situation here and better our lives. So just remember your why.” For Denis, his reason is to better himself and become a psychiatrist once he is finished.“ The ultimate feeling that I would love to feel is that I’m helping people, yeah, stuff that they actually need in life, or stuff that they’re actually struggling with in life, basically.” He continues saying, “So, yeah, that would be psychiatry.” With boot camp officially being over, recruits will be assigned to their new stations. “Everything we do is to prepare us for the fleet”, but right now we’re very grateful, very, very grateful for the event that you guys put together.”
With laughs, games, and shared stories, Thanksgiving with the Troops gave students/ recruits a day to connect and appreciate each other. Many recruits, including Denis, said it was the best experience in boot camp so far. Beyond the celebration, many recruits look forward to advancing in their military journeys, following their dreams, and using the skills they learn to serve our country well. For Leyden, it was yet another great opportunity to give back and share our spirit of gratitude on Thanksgiving.
