Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said he understood the problems facing deployed Soldiers during the holiday season. "There's some reflection of the holiday spirit here and I always admire that," Hagel told a gathering of several hundred service members Dec. 8, referring to his service during the Vietnam War. "Once upon a time I was away from home over a holiday period in a different kind of war, so I have some understanding of what you and your families deal with."

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