RICHMOND, Va. — Pvt. Jasiri Kirkland gave up his holiday leave in exchange for a month to spend later this winter with his 18-month-old son, a swap shared by only a fraction of his fellow soldiers in training.

"This is the first time being away from him for this long," Kirkland, of Columbus, Ga., who is training at Fort Lee, about 25 miles south of Richmond, said after a recent trip with fellow soldiers to an ice skating rink. "It's very difficult. This is the most happy time of the year. But I'm staying here for a good reason."

The Army is the only military service that allows all of its soldiers in training to go home for the holiday season. The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps do not shut down basic training, but do allow students in technical schools to go home.

About 1,700 of the Army's 78,000 trainees didn't go home from the Army's 16 training bases during the service's two-week holiday exodus.

The Army tries to keep trainees such as Kirkland, 25, in high spirits by taking them on outings for bowling, a hockey game or a holiday meal with people in the community.

"Christmas is probably one of the happiest times of the year and also probably going to be one of the more depressing times of the year if you're not with your family and friends," said Capt. Dhramen Singh, commander for headquarters and headquarters company for the 244th Quartermaster Battalion at Fort Lee.

Singh, who spent the last two holiday seasons organizing events for the soldiers, said the program is important in keeping up morale for some 65 soldiers who stayed behind this year.

"Being part of the U.S. Army is being part of a family," he said. "The Army is a huge organization, but at the ground level we do care for every soldier."

On most bases, soldiers who stay for the holidays work from about 8 a.m. until noon and then are on their own or participate in organized events.

Most of the costs for the entertainment are donated, and other costs are covered by Army Morale Welfare Recreation funding.

Many are glad to have a moment to relax from their strictly regimented military life.

"It's either this or sit down. Sitting is not bad since we don't do it often, but this is fun. ... (The events) build teamwork," said Pvt. Michael Angelette, 23, of Oxnard, Calif.

While the holiday exodus has been going on for years, the Army considered canceling the program three years ago because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Col. Kevin Shwedo, director of operations, plans and training for the Army Accessions Command, which oversees training.

But Shwedo said the time off means soldiers and officers come back rested and ready to focus on training.

The nation's other military services said they also try to make sure their members who can't go home have an enjoyable and rejuvenating holiday season.

Capt. Teresa Ovalle, a spokeswoman for the Marine Corps' Quantico Training and Education Command in Virginia, said the service takes care of its own by inviting those who may not be able to get home for the holidays to join in the festivities of officers and other service members.

About 1,000 recruits in the final stages of training at Naval Station Great Lakes spent Christmas with families and organizations in the Chicago area, said Chief Bruce Moody, a spokesman for the Naval Service Training Command.