Minnesota in Photos: Serving Our Troops

Issues Jeffrey Thompson Jeffrey Thompson · St. Paul, Minn. ·

1 Holding her 3-month old daughter Chloe Olson, Heather Olson of Big Lake, Minn. jokes with her son Caleb Olson, 3, during a Serving Our Troops dinner for service members in Kuwait and their families at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. Heather's husband and her childrens' father is a Blackhawk helicopter pilot serving in Kuwait. 
2 Bob Nelson, center, of Proctor, Minn. joined others during the National Anthem at the at the Serving Our Troops dinner at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. 
3 Approximately 2,500 families of military servicemen and women serving in Kuwait attend a Serving Our Troops dinner at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. 
4 An estimated 13,000 steaks were served to servicemen and women at bases in Kuwait while their families dined at a Serving Our Troops dinner in St. Paul, Minn. at the Saint Paul RiverCentre Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. 
5 Family members participate in a video chat with a member of the military during a Serving Our Troops event at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. 
6 Minnesota Red Bulls commander Col. Eric Kerska addresses the crowd via video at the Serving Our Troops dinner at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. 
7 Five-month-old Lauren Doliber of Elk River, Minn. wears shoes with a message about her father, who is stationed at Camp Arifjan, during the Serving Our Troops dinner at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. 
8 Video chat stations are used to chat with military servicemen and women during the Serving Our Troops event at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. 
9 Family members of Maj. Tim Kemp say goodbye to him after a video chat at the Serving Our Troops event at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012.