Our Soldier Returns from Iraq

Tuesday night about 9PM we headed to Ft. Lewis to welcome home my sisters daughter, Kristin, who had been in Iraq for fifteen months. I had watched these events covered by the news media before and had such compassion for the families involved. However, I was not prepared for all the emotional feelings I was about to encounter in my heart watching it in person. We sat in a gymnasium with hundreds of family members from all over the states who had converged here to see their husband, wife, father, mother, sister, brother, friend, etc. arrive home from war. Banners and posters were everywhere, balloons in the air, and smiles on every face. It seemed like hours (10:30PM) before the images of the plane landing at McChord Air Force Base appeared on the wall.

Screams and applause erupted and everyone was on their feet. The soldiers soon began to descend from the plane and the audience members were pointing out loved ones and waving as if they could see each other. Soon we saw Kristin and we waved too!

From there they were loaded on a bus and which would bring them to us at the gym.

Meantime, approximately twenty Vietnam Veterans filed into the gym. It became silent and you could hear a pin drop. They took their places in equally measured spots on the gym floor where the soldiers would enter. It was amatueric, yet, methodical. They were dressed in camo, jeans, bandana's, teeshirts, leather, and many had beards and long hair. I ask Jack, "what was going on?" He said, "Ever since the VietNam war they have done this for every homecoming because they never wanted any troops to feel as they did, when no one appeared for theirs. Not the community, media nor politicians....no one but their families. Alone in their support of the soldiers." Dad and I lived in that era (Dad served in Nam on the USS Ranger Aircraft Carrier)and it was so very, very sad they way they were treated! Members of Kristin's squadron who had come home wounded or left behind also filed in. The stage was set, tears were already welled up and ready to flow, children were looking so intently for their dad's and mom's, and we watching every person who came through the door hoping it was the beginning of the filing in of the troops. Finally, they filed in.....their commander said a few words and they were dismissed to their families. It was chaos! So many feelings, tears and gratitude. Men holding their babies for the first time, women seeing children after so long (some missing toddlerhood completely), introductions being made and some quietly walking away because no one was there for them to embrace. That was a tear jerker! We found our "girlie" and everyone got a hug and fought for her undivided attention for a few seconds. We were all thanking God for her safety and that our prayers were answered. During the chaos, Krista approached some of the troops and took pictures of them with their families and a promise to send them copies. Kristin had been a remarkable soldier/and leader. She helped bring all her men home safely to their families. We were sooooo proud of her!