Odds of me getting leave for Christmas in Korea?

Chances are pretty good. Mission dependent of course. Have you been contacted with your sponsor? If so, you should inform them of your intent immediately. If not, as soon as you get to your gaining, notify your team Sergeant/squad leader of your intent so that they can look at the training calendar and forecast the holiday block leave dates. Nonetheless the sooner you start inquiring to your leadership of your intent the more likely the chances of it becoming a reality. Good luck and my condolences to you bro.

Not too good. Literally everyone in your unit will try to get leave on Christmas. Your unit needs to maintain a certain percentage of it's strength year round. You might have a special case considering the deaths in your family, but that's assuming that they died relatively recently and you're planning on attending their memorials. My grandfather actually died a few days after I reported to Korea and I wasn't able to get leave approved to go to his memorial. The logic behind this was that my unit was under strength on NCOs, we were about to go to the field and he wasn't immediate family. So, I had to go to the field within 3 days of arriving at my unit, all while my grandfather's funeral service was going on.

As long as you can pay for your flight back to states then back to Korea shouldn’t be a problem at all. Usually when soldiers go on leave from Korea they take atleast 30 days. With you having only 17 most units will not let you go in the hole on leave days and want to save you atleast ten days for emergency reasons. You take all 17 days then an unforeseen incident happens you will not have any days to take. The hardships of being in the military sometimes you’re going to miss those special events and special days. Spent 4 birthdays overseas missed my child being born unlimited number of birthdays and special events missed and I have 5 girls so it gets rough. Just have to talk to your family and make them understand that you’re not going to make all the special events and holidays. Thank God for today’s technology you can still enjoy those days even with being away. Good luck with your tour in Korea I have been there twice and you will make life long friends while you’re there. You all will become family away from family and it’s awesome.