Major Brett Grieve would rather be at home but says being at Scott Base is a privilege
Being far from his children on Christmas Day is hard for Major Brett Grieve, but he knows it's all part of his duty.
He is one of eight Defence Force personnel at Scott Base, Antarctica, and it's the second time he's been away from home over Christmas.
He has two sons, aged 8 and 9, and a 5-year-old daughter.
Major Grieve said it was difficult being away from his family, but Antarctica was a good place to be for Christmas.
"I know they're going to be having a good time; there's lots of love in the family. It's also an immense privilege to be in Scott Base - it's a New Zealand institution. If you have to be away for Christmas, this seems like the way to do it."
Major Grieve is the only unit member with children.
On Christmas Eve, the team at Scott Base enjoyed a Christmas meal of turkey, ham and salmon, followed by dessert and a Secret Santa present swap.
Major Grieve expected to spend Christmas Day relaxing and calling his family in Christchurch.
"I just received letters from the kids and photos and stuff just a few minutes ago - that really brightened my day."
Being away from home over Christmas was part of his job in the army.
"If it really grated you, you would be looking for a new job. If I had a choice I'd choose to be home for Christmas, but if duty calls I've got to deal with it."
He would be home in February or March.
He is at Scott Base with Antarctica New Zealand, and oversees schedule operations.
"It's cold, for sure, but it's very bright. I don't feel like I'm missing summer as such."
In 2008, he was in East Timor over Christmas.
He also served in Afghanistan, but was sent back to New Zealand on December 21.
He said it was snowing in Antarctica, giving him his first real white Christmas.
Russell Kennedy (right)
RNZAF Squadron Leader Russell Kennedy misses the beach and barbecues and the company of family and friends at Christmas time.
He is one of three New Zealand Defence Force officers helping monitor compliance with the armistice agreement between North and South Korea.
A fourth staff member works as the contingent's senior national officer and the New Zealand Defence Attache in Seoul.
Squadron Leader Kennedy, who arrived in Seoul in March and will return home shortly after Anzac Day next year, said the operational tour he was on differed from others he had worked on in Tehran and Afghanistan.
"This is a relatively Western place and a relatively comfortable place where families can visit so it's been great," said the 53-year-old, whose wife Vicky made the trip to South Korea to have Christmas with him.
His job is inspecting military installations in the demilitarised zone to ensure they comply with the terms of the armistice.
He said it was minus 8C where he was staying and while he missed barbecues at the beach at Christmas, he was at a large American base with thousands of US soldiers and many of their comforts of home - including several restaurants. James Ihaka
Roger Earp
One of New Zealand's eight remaining army soldiers in Afghanistan says Christmas Day is the hardest day of the year to be away from home.
Major Roger Earp is one of five Defence Force mentors working with Afghanistan's army.
The NZDF also has three logistical support crew in Afghanistan.
"We'll all be together today," Major Earp said. "We're a pretty tight little team. But we all work in different departments, so we don't spend a lot of time together on a daily basis.
"We had a little Christmas celebration on Tuesday morning with the guys that we work with [from] the Afghan National Army.
"It was really cool just to give them just a bit of an understanding of what we do and what Christmas means to us."
Major Earp said he had opened his presents from home by 9.30am, but because of the unreliable mail system, not all had arrived in time. "I was a bit gutted."
He said that if he weren't in Afghanistan, he would have spent Christmas at Burnham in Christchurch with his wife and the two youngest of his five children.
"Christmas day is normally the hardest day, that's my experience, when you're away."
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