SAN ANTONIO – For at least the past four decades, local families like Jim and Paula Foy have welcomed young men and women from all over the U.S. into their homes for Thanksgiving.
The Foy’s said they’re not exactly sure how many, but at least 200 soldiers over 28 years have sat at their Thanksgiving table.
This year, they had two guests training to become combat medics at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, and four airmen from JBSA-Lackland.
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Foy said back when he was starting out at Lackland, “They didn’t have this. We had to stay on base.”
It’s why Foy told his wife after seeing a story on TV, “I want to do that.”
Paula Foy said she remembers the shabby treatment given to military members returning home from Vietnam.
“We did not want any of the rest of our men and women to go through that,” she said.
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Wayne Plewak, who is in training to become a combat medic like his father was, said, “I did not think I was going to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner. I thought I’d be sitting in a mess hall. So, it feels great.”
Hanul Cooley, who plans to have a military career like her father as well, said, “I’ll definitely remember this.”
The Foy’s, married for almost 50 years, said they certainly will.
“Our home can be their home away from home just for this one day," said Paula Foy.