Photos of loved ones who are in military help brighten the holidays.

To help honor the sacrifice and contribution of servicemembers and to do our part in extending Christmas wishes from those who can’t be in Leelanau County right now, the Enterprise asked readers to send us photos and information of their loved ones as a way to brighten the holidays.
Readers responded, and the Enterprise is pleased to provide three different parts that help put a human face on the feelings and challenges that members of the Armed Services face, including:
• Stories in by our servicemembers:
—–Spending holidays away again 'is rough" by Sgt. Benjamin Weber.
—–Democracy is called 'a hard sell' in Iraq by Adam Allington.
• Photos of the military members either overseas or with their families, starting below.
• A personal column written by Tom Paré of Suttons Bay Township on spending Christmas in a battle zone during the Korean War in 1952.

CHRISTOPHER HOUDEK of Lake Leelanau, center, last month earned his wings as an Air Force pilot in the T-38 trainer on his way to becoming an F-16 fighter pilot. Visiting him at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas recently were his grandmother Delores, father Jim, sister Kaitlin, brother Jeremy, mother Madeline, and sister Becky. Lt. Houdek is a 2001 graduate of the St. Mary School in Lake Leelanau. His holiday plans had not been set at press time.

BENJAMIN WEBER, the son of David C. Weber of Lake Leelanau and Jennifer Oakley of Elmwood Township, will be spending his second Christmas away from home this year, deployed to Iraq. Now a sergeant in the Army, he was wounded and received the Purple Heart medal along with an Army Commendation Medal with a “Combat V” for valor because of his actions during a battle at Tarmiyah, Iraq, in February. He and his unit hope to redeploy to Fort Hood, Texas, next month.

BRIAN T. BISHOP receives his first star from his wife, lifelong Leland seasonal resident Linda Lindquist-Bishop. Also participating in the October 2007 promotion ceremony was Bishop’s father, left. Currently stationed in Washington, D.C., Brigadier Gen. Bishop will spend some time with his family over the holidays and will likely vacation in Leland before deploying to Iraq later this year to take command of an air base in Balad, Iraq.

TIMOTHY SAXTON of Suttons Bay is a captain in the Air Force and a C-130 aircraft pilot. A graduate of Suttons Bay High School and a 2003 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Capt. Saxton is currently deployed overseas. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Brad Saxton of Suttons Bay, he is a member of the 79th Search and Rescue Squadron, based in Tucson, Ariz.

BENJAMIN ZEIGLER of Empire, a 1999 graduate of Glen Lake High School, is promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in the United States Marine Corps during a recent ceremony. The son of Dave and Jean Zeigler of Empire, Staff Sgt. Zeigler is currently deployed to Iraq and will not be coming home for the holidays.

MICHAEL GREENE, in the U.S. Navy, is married to Jennifer Greene who is now residing with relatives in Cedar. Petty Officer Greene is currently stationed on an island in the Maldive chain in the Indian Ocean and won’t be home for Christmas. Greene also missed the birth of his daughter, Frances Marilyn, on Nov. 16. Michael Green is originally from New Hampshire and his wife is formerly from Sebewaing, Mich. “It’s a challenge to remain joyful over the holidays knowing my husband hasn’t even seen his daughter,” said Jennifer Greene. “Our holidays will come in February when he returns home and we start a new beginning in Leelanau County.”

JULIE LAUTNER, an Army specialist and the daughter of Terry and Cathy Lautner of Elmwood Township, will be spending Christmas with her fellow soldiers in Germany. “As a military Mom, I can’t think of a better gift than her smile to give others who are missing their families back in the states,” said Cathy Lautner. “We will miss her but appreciate her unselfish willingness to protect our freedom!”