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FT. JACKSON (AP)--Some 9,000 Army soldiers from Fort Jackson are getting a Christmas vacation.

Army officials said soldiers from basic and advanced training programs would begin departing midnight Thursday from the South Carolina training installation for airports in Columbia, Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C. Others were traveling to bus and train stations and in some cases were being allowed to go home with families in private vehicles.

The Army says the departures should be completed by Friday afternoon. Soldiers were to begin returning on Jan. 2 and face a deadline of midnight on Jan. 3 for arrival.

The annual movement from the Army's largest training installation is known as "block leave." About 200 soldiers will remain at Fort Jackson with their training unit.