Five U.S. service members deployed abroad wished their Capital Region families and hometowns a happy holiday season via video this year.

Standing outside McMurdo Station in Antarctica, Master Sgt. Kevin Byrns said, "I would like to extend a happy holidays and seasons greetings to all of my family and friends back home at Scotia Air National Guard Base, New York."

Byrns — who is a member of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing — is from Middle Grove, Saratoga County.

The U.S. Department of Defense posted hundreds of brief holiday greetings online Wednesday.

"I want to say I love you to all of my family and all of my friends back home," Brandon Briggs of Albany said. "See you soon."

Briggs is stationed with the Armed Forces Network, a military radio and television provider, in Bahrain.

Technical Sgt. Nicole Cotugno of Rensselaer addressed the camera from the Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

"I just want to say hello to my friends and family, and happy holidays to everybody in New York," she said.

Cotugno, a member of an aeromedical medical evacuation squadron, is deployed with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing of the Air Force. She is based out of the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia.

"I just want to wish everybody back home a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year," said Private Tullsie Persaud of Schenectady. "Happy holidays!"

Persaud is stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, and is deployed with the Army's 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment in Mihail Kogălniceanu, Romania.

Speaking from the Zucchelli Station in Antarctica, Airman First Class Ryan Rhoads of Albany said, "Happy Festivus, everybody!

He is also a member of the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard.