S

hane Ross stood Thursday afternoon in the kitchen of his Aunt Terry Chambers’ farmhouse in St. Albans, announcing everyone as they arrived for Thanksgiving dinner.

“There’s dad and grampa in the War Wagon,” he shouted, referring to the family’s camouflage-painted Suburban.

“There’s the Buzzells,” he announced, quickly going to the door to wrap his aunt, uncle and cousins in a giant hug.

Uncles and cousins who had been hunting all morning began to arrive, joining the aunts who already had put in long hours in the kitchen. Soon, more than 25 relatives filled the home.

The traditional family gathering was much more than another Thanksgiving for the extended Ross, Boulanger and Buzzell families – it was a reunion.

Shane Ross, 23, of Pittsfield hadn’t seen many of these family members since last March when he was deployed as a security officer with the U.S. Air Force in Korea.

“We know what we’re thankful for this year,” his mother, Micheline Ross of Pittsfield, said, watching her son give and receive the smiles and the hugs.

“There are a lot of families out there who don’t have their sons or daughters with them this holiday,” she said. “We have this moment and this day, and our hearts go out to those who don’t.”

Watching her son greet his

8-month old nephew – born while Ross was on a military flight en route to Korea – she said quietly, “You know, Shane could be in a lot worse places and still could be.”

To Ross, Thanksgiving surrounded by his family was exactly the reason he said he enlisted. When the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks occurred, Ross already was nearing graduation at Husson College with a degree in criminal justice.

“I was sitting in a class and the teacher was late,” he said during an interview on Wednesday. “When she told us what had happened, my heart stopped. I just couldn’t believe it, and when I went back to my room and watched the television, I was scared.”

Ross knew then that he had to serve his country, no matter where it took him. After 16 weeks of basic and specialized training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, Ross was sent to Korea.

His job at Osan Air Base, one hour south of Seoul, is security officer, the military police of the U.S. Air Force. He said it has been an eye-opening experience, particularly his visit to the demilitarized zone at the border of South and North Korea.

“It was so weird to see, standing on one side with the North Korean military 100 yards away, looking at you,” Ross said. “It is hard to comprehend a border that isn’t free, that the citizens can’t freely cross.”

While on duty in Korea, Ross said he basically is a cop on the base, handling calls just like police officers in any big city. But in the back of the soldiers’ minds is the threat of war with North Korea.

“We always think of the possibility of an invasion,” he said. “After all, they didn’t sign a treaty. It was a cease-fire armistice.” He said he was equally impressed by the Korean War Memorial in Seoul. “It is massive and you really realize why we are there and feel how much sacrifice went into the South Koreans’ freedom.”

“This is one of the best things about being home,” Ross said. “I get to really relax and let my mind rest.”

While in Korea, Ross met quite a few other men and women from Maine, he said. “The military is a good life,” he said. “I got good training, job security and good health care.”

When he returns from Korea next spring, he likely will be deployed to Iraq. “I’ll go willingly,” the young man said.

“I can make a difference in other people’s lives,” he said. “I can help keep freedom for other people.”

But Thursday afternoon, Korea and Iraq were far from Ross’ mind as he hunted in the woods and then went to his Aunt Terry’s for the traditional turkey dinner.

As the house began to fill up, everyone shared family stories, just as in most homes on Thursday. Ross caught up on the car accident that broke his cousin’s arm, held and played with his nephew, Cameron Shane Weaver, and learned that a favorite rabbit had died over the summer.

“Do you like [the University of Maine at] Orono?” he asked a cousin. “Rachel has really grown up,” he told an aunt.

And his family looked on. “Look at his face,” said his mother. “He’s not a boy anymore. He’s a man. And we have him for today.”