ATLANTA  —  Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue and three other governors personally thanked their troops serving in the Middle East on Thursday, and they brought Thanksgiving dinner with them.

Perdue said in a telephone interview from Kuwait City that morale was terrific among the Georgia troops he visited at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as they ate turkey and dressing, prime rib, shrimp, green beans, yams and mashed potatoes.

"I came to say thanks to these troops and they gave me a blessing I'll never forget," Perdue said.

The Defense Department invited the delegation of four governors to visit the Middle East: Perdue, Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas.

Granholm said it was an honor to hear Michigan soldiers' stories and hug them.

"Our Michigan troops are sacrificing so much for us — serving our country — and serving far away from home and family," Granholm said.

Sebelius said there was no better way for her to spend Thanksgiving.

"Since they can't be home for the holiday, the least we can do is come to them and let them know they are always in our thoughts and prayers," she said in a statement.