Currently browsing: welcome home
Guard unit home after year in Afghanistan
October 28, 2010 by Nicki Faulk
Posted in The Birmingham News:
Family and friends withstood the rain Wednesday to welcome home members of the 135th Expeditionary Sustainment Command unit from a year-long deployment in Afghanistan.
A shout arose from the damp crowd as four tour buses carrying members of the 135th turned the corner and drove through the gates at the Fort John C. Persons Armory on West Oxmoor Road at about 11:45. Fifteen minutes later, more than 250 reunions occurred simultaneously.
The soldiers marched out of the armory in formation, smiling and waving to those lining either side much like a football team’s spirit line. This was a time for relaxing the rules.
While in Afghanistan, the citizen soldiers helped move supplies, food, mail and troops through the war-torn country.
Jacksonville Guard unit to return from Iraq
May 19, 2010 by Nicki Faulk
Posted to The Birmingham News:
The Alabama Army National Guard says about 170 members of its 2025th Transportation Company from Jacksonville are coming home from Iraq after the unit’s second tour there.
The Guard says the unit was sent to Iraq the first time in March 2003. It was called to active duty again last May.
The Guard says the unit is scheduled to arrive at the Jacksonville armory Wednesday evening, and that the public is invited to attend ceremonies welcoming the troops home
Alabama Guard unit returning from Iraq
October 19, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Printed in this weekend’s The Birmingham News:
An Alabama Army Guard unit that deployed to Iraq last December is due back in Alabama this weekend.
About 190 soldiers with the 158th Maintenance Company were scheduled to arrive Tuesday in Camp Atterbury, Ind., said Alabama National Guard spokesman Norman Arnold.
The 158th, out of Tallassee and Tuskegee, was based in northern Iraq and was charged with maintenance and repair of vehicles in convoys that were supporting military operations in the area. Arnold said the unit should be back in Alabama this weekend.
About 15 Guard soldiers with the 115th Signal Battalion from Decatur returned home a few weeks ago from a mission in Iraq.
At present, the Alabama Guard has around 1,600 soldiers and airmen in and around Iraq and Afghanistan.
Patriot Guard holds Welcome Home celebration for Vietnam Vets
September 8, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
I received this email from Paul Reynolds, Alabama PGR State Captain:
Greetings my friends,
As you know a Welcome Home celebration is long overdue for all of our Vietnam Veterans. The heroes have always deserved this, and I am so proud to announce their day has finally come in the great state of Alabama. Last year I was selected to lead a committee for our State fair in Montgomery doing a kickoff for the fair honoring our World War II Veterans, and having a tribute to our men and women of our Armed Forces. The PGR proudly escorted these heroes to the Fair, and stood proudly as all of them were Honored. Shortly after this event I was asked how to follow up this wonderful event, and I simply stated it is time to do what should of been done over 30 years ago. So my friends the day has come to say Thank You for all they have done, to finally give them the Welcome Home they earned and deserved, and to ensure them “NEVER AGAIN. This was accepted and now we have began the motion to make their dreams come true.
On October 9th in Montgomery Alabama we will kick off the Alabama State Fair with a Welcome Home Celebration for our Vietnam Veterans. This will include a parade into the fair grounds, and a wonderful tribute inside the coliseum. We have secured General Hal Moore as our key note speaker. I have also secured a most fitting tribute, a fly over by a group of Huey Helicopters. The PGR will ride into the Parade staging, and then will continue onto the fair grounds. Let me say, only our Vietnam Vets will be riding in this parade, as it is their day, and it is the rest of our duties to stand and cheer for our Heroes. Our Vietnam Veterans that are members will be seated, and the rest of us will line the Coliseum with our most proud Flag Line ever. This will be open to all that served during this era, so please get the word out to your friends and community.
I will be updating this thread as we receive more details. We are also in the planning stages of having an event after the Fair, so please mark this day on your calendar, and making this a weekend event. We will contact Motels and try and receive a discounted rate for those of you who may want to attend.
Remember this day is very special, and all of us should be proud to attend. If you are a Vietnam Veteran, Thank You and Welcome Home, if you are not please join me on the side of the road, and help me cheer our true American heroes.
Again Thank You and excuse me if I sound a little proud, because I am, I am very proud of each and everyone of you. We have stood beside many of them as they Welcomed Home many of our Heroes, this time we will stand for them “Welcoming them home”.
Jim “Dinky Dau” Lorenzo has secured a great Hotel rate for this event, as many of his Vietnam Veterans will be staying here, this rate will also apply to everyone. Make sure when you reserve your room please advise them, you are either VFW of PGR to secure the quoted rate of 49.00.
Americas Best Inn and Suites
5135 Carmichael Road
Montgomery Alabama334-270-9199
We will be updating staging times later through the PGR thread and another Statewide. Please get this word out to everyone, the streets of Montgomery need to be lined with Americans showing their appreciation to our Heroes. This will be late afternoon of the 9th.
That’s wonderful!!!
Fort Rucker soldiers return from Iraq
September 5, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Posted earlier this week in the Dothan Eagle:
Jayden Lacy was just 9 months old when her dad deployed to Iraq. Today, she will celebrate her second birthday, this one with her father by her side. U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Lacy was one of nearly 180 soldiers with the 46th Engineer Battalion B Company who returned to Fort Rucker on Thursday night to a hero’s welcome.
“It’s a great feeling, but I really can’t explain it,” Lacy said. “I’ve been over in Iraq for 15 months, and now that I’m back, it’s like starting all over again.”
The soldiers had been deployed in Iraq for 15 months, a time frame that was agonizing for family members.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Millicent Vickers, who was at Thursday’s ceremony to pick up her husband, Frederick Vickers. “It’s been lonely, but very strengthening. I’m very proud of myself, because it strengthened me as a person to be so long without him.”
Doug Roach returned to see his wife, Nicole, waiting with open arms. It didn’t take him long to embrace her, and with their 8-month-old baby, Cale, they are looking forward to the future.
“I just felt like it would never be over, and now that it is, I don’t know how to explain it,” said Nicole.
Doug didn’t have the same problem finding the right words.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” he said.
Lacy’s wife, Melissa, said her own military experience helped her deal with her husband’s deployment.
“It’s been tough, but I’m also in the military, so it keeps me busy,” she said. “I’ve just tried to stay busy to keep my mind off of it.”
It wasn’t just wives and husbands waiting on the soldiers to return, though.
Willie Blue has been worrying about his son, Pfc. Ryan Blue, for the duration of his deployment. He couldn’t hide his joy or his pride at Thursday night’s ceremony.
“I’ve been on the edge, because from day to day, you watch the news and you don’t know if there’s been a fatality. I’m just very glad he could make it back home alive,” he said. “The biggest thing I’m proud of, though, is he’s defending our country.”
That pride is shared by many of the families of the other returning soldiers.
“My mom just can’t wait to see him, my brother’s excited to see him, and my dad is very proud of him, that he’s been able to support me, because not many of our peers have made it,” Vickers said.
William Lacy hadn’t been able to process the emotion of his return until he boarded his plane. Then, the reality of the trip set in.
“Between missions and still working, it really doesn’t dawn on you until you’re on the plane halfway here,” Lacy said. “Then it sets in.”
According to a U.S. Army press release, the battalion’s primary mission was to conduct reconstruction projects, provide security and conduct joint construction projects with Iraqi forces.
Family welcomes home soldier from Iraq
July 14, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Courtesy of WAFF 48 News:
A Huntsville family is having a celebration. Corporal Cody Majors was welcomed home Monday afternoon by his family and friends. Majors is on his second tour in Iraq. He’s home for some rest and relaxation.
Majors’ mom says she’s happy he’s home safe.
“It means the world to me that he’s coming home safe. I miss him, he’s been gone since February,” said Pam Majors.
Cody is a 2005 graduate of Lee High School. His unit is stationed in Fort Hood, Texas.
(Video and photos are available here.)
Welcome home, Cody!
Bama Guard unit home from Iraq soon!
March 17, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Some great news published in The Birmingham News yesterday, the 128th Medical Company is due to come home near the end of this month. Based out of Ashland, the unit’s mission was mainly transporting hurt and wounded troops to combat support hospitals.
Read the whole article here.
Army specialist gets to know Iraqi people
March 16, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
The Clanton Advertiser has a great article this morning about Army Specialist Justin Corn, of Thorsby, who recently returned from Iraq.
Corn believes the U.S. is making a difference in Iraq. In the time he was deployed to Iraq, he saw a big difference in the people from when he arrived to when he left.
A great story, and a poignant reminder of why it’s so important that we support our men and women in uniform!
Because he was in a remote location of Iraq, Corn and his unit didn’t have much contact with family and friends. “Whenever we got to a base, everyone would run to the phone to get their five minutes to call our families,” Corn said.
During his tour, his family and his wife both sent him numerous care packages, which included personal items and snack foods.
“You don’t know just how much you miss that until you don’t have it anymore,” he said. “Some weren’t as fortunate as I was, so I shared with those who didn’t get any packages.”
You can read the whole article here.
In the news this weekend
February 14, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
According to the Shelby County Reporter, the Pelham Public Library is one of the latest to participate in Connecting Families, a partnership between the Alabama Public Library Service and the Alabama Broadband Initiative that allows military families to see and talk to each other via Web conferencing.
According to Barbara Roberts, library director:
Signing up is fast, free and easy. All one needs is an e-mail address and an account with Skype, a software program that allows telephone calls, instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing over the Internet. Library aides are available to set up e-mail and Skype accounts for those interested. And the library is willing to arrange Web conferencing sessions after hours to accommodate families.
It’s great to see more libraries participating in this wonderful program!
For more information, call Roberts at [205] 620-6418.
The Montgomery Advertiser published news yesterday that the 926th Engineer Brigade, an Army Reserve unit headquartered in Montgomery, has returned from Iraq.
Welcome home, brave heroes!
WKRG 5 News reported earlier this week with a heartwarming story about Private First Class Marshall Joslin, a soldier stationed in Iraq who had received letters from 4th graders at Knollwood Christian School. He had stopped by to say thanks to the children who’d written to him.
Read the entire article and view the video here.
Rainbow City soldier honored
September 8, 2008 by Nicki Faulk
Posted today over at The Gadsden Times:
Rainbow City honors soldier
Twenty-year-old Eric Turner of Rainbow City might have expected a welcome home party when he returned from Iraq.
But the U.S. Army member never imagined he would have a day named in his honor.
On Aug. 11, Mayor Terry John Calhoun proclaimed the day Eric Paul Turner Day in honor of the young soldier’s accomplishments and personal sacrifices for his country and his community.
Turner joined the military at age 18 and is now ranked as an E4 specialist. He is an “all wheels” mechanic for the Army.
Turner was deployed to Iraq in May 2007.
He served there 15 months before returning to the United States on July 24.
He returned home for a 28-day leave on Aug. 9 and, only two days later, he found out just how much his fellow Rainbow City residents appreciate his service.
“My stepdad talked to the mayor about me, and they wanted to congratulate me and recognize me for the job I was doing and for serving in Iraq,” Turner said.
Turner said he knew he would be meeting with city officials on Aug. 11 but had no idea what was in store for him once he arrived at City Hall.
“It was all a surprise,” he said. “I was pretty excited and I thought that it was one of the coolest things ever.
“It definitely made me feel appreciated.”
Congratulations, Eric!
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