The Ikeda family of Kalihi has been down the deployment road before with the Hawai'i National Guard.

Craig Ikeda was in Iraq in 2005 along with his son, Jared. Another son, Chris, had served in Afghanistan in 2003. And Jared and Chris Ikeda are now in Kuwait with 1,700 citizen soldiers of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

But for 28-year-old 1st Lt. Chris Ikeda, it's not only a change of country and scenery.

This time, he deployed as a recently married soldier, adding to the relationship complexity and heartache that goes along with a year away from home — especially at the holidays.

"It's just so much to learn, being married, and that's compounded by the distance," said April Ikeda, his wife.

The couple, who married in February, were able to reconnect yesterday morning via video teleconference in Gov. Linda Lingle's office. They and other soldiers and their families also received a personalized holiday greeting from Lingle.

About two dozen family members of the deployed troops took turns saying hello.

Denise Hidrovo, wearing reindeer antlers, blew a kiss to her husband, Sgt. 1st Class Vladamir Hidrovo, and light-heartedly caught up on some bill-paying with him.

The soldiers, in turn, brought a few tears with a group rendition of "Silent Night."

A Guard family on Kaua'i and on the Big Island also were linked in.

Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, the state adjutant general and head of the Hawai'i National Guard, said he was scheduled to fly out last night on United Airlines to spend several days visiting with the Hawai'i soldiers in Kuwait.

April Ikeda, 24, said she's able to stay in touch with her husband via phone, e-mail and and video through Skype, but yesterday's gathering brought a social element to the contact.

"The atmosphere, it was a lot different because you could hear other people around you and it's all emotional," Ikeda said. "Just knowing that you are not the only one going through it was a big deal."

The last of the Hawai'i National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers to arrive in Kuwait heard about the Nov. 4 election of President-elect Barack Obama while in flight. They are expected to be in the country about eight months. Training in Texas preceded the deployment.

The Hawai'i soldiers have management and security responsibilities at bases in Kuwait, and also conduct convoy security escort missions into Iraq, driving as far north as Baghdad and Mosul and back again to Kuwait.

The locations in Kuwait the soldiers operate from include: Camp Arifjan; Camp Patriot, formerly called Kuwait Naval Base; Camp Virginia; Camp Buehring; and Ali Al Salem air base, now known as a "Life Support Area."

Hawai'i soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 299th Cavalry Squadron were the first to venture into Iraq, conducting a convoy security mission on Nov. 11.

The Army Reserve's 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, which is part of the Hawai'i National Guard deployment, also has convoy escort duties. Altogether, about 1,000 Hawai'i soldiers take turns making the convoy runs.

Faye Eleazar's husband, Sgt. Guillermo "John" Eleazar, 34, is one of the 100th Battalion soldiers who on convoy duty. The couple has three girls, ages 2, 3, and 12.

"I'm nervous and scared — but I don't doubt their capabilities," Faye Eleazar said. "They're trained really good, but I'm still scared."

Even though she has been through this before, Eleazar said the challenges change.

They had their oldest child and their second daughter was born just prior to the 2005 deployment to Iraq.

"It's a lot more difficult with the kids — they are running around — but otherwise, it's good," she said.

This year, the family had no turkey for Thanksgiving because the "cook" — her husband — was already gone. The Christmas tree went up two weeks before Thanksgiving because Eleazar was worried about all the other tasks she'd have.

"They (the kids) miss him. They ask about him every day," she said.

Lee, the state adjutant general, will be taking to Kuwait 38 cases of small gifts and treats donated by the community for the Hawai'i soldiers through Operation Gift Lift.

Three times that amount in donated items that remains in Hawai'i will be sent over in coming months.

"I want to thank the people of Hawai'i for their generosity from Operation Gift Lift," Lee said. "We're taking a lot up, the command chief and I, and I want to thank United Airlines for their cooperation in getting it up there."