Fort Campbell, KY – In a flight early Friday morning, 153 soldiers from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade and the 101st Headquarters and Headquarters Battery returned home to Fort Campbell after a year deployed into the war zone of Afghanistan.
Family and friends of the returning soldiers had gathered together to give their loved ones a proper welcome home.
15 minutes before the flight arrived the family members were allowed to proceed outdoors to wait on for a chance to see the flight bearing their loved ones arrive.
At around 3:06am the plane touched down to a chorus of cheers. The soldiers rapidly disembarked from the aircraft and proceeded to march to a assembly point near the hangers to drop off their gear so they could visit with their families. As they approached the waiting families soldiers eyes sought out those special people who were there waiting on them. As they saw them smiles broke out on their faces, their family members eyes shining brightly. Many of the soldiers waved.
As soon as they were all assembled, the doors to the hanger were opened and the 153 soldiers marched in before the cheering crowd.
An invocation was given by the military chaplin, followed by comments from the Deputy Commander of the 101st Airborne Division Brig. Gen. Jeffery N. Colt who welcomed the returning soldiers home, “Welcome home Eagles, and thank you everybody for coming out so early this morning. We really appreciate you. In the sake of brevity here this morning, because I know that these guys have been waiting an extra 2-1/2 days to get back here to your arms. First of all, thank you to all of you done on behalf of the nation, you’ve done a incredible job in a complex mission supporting not just the division and U.S. Forces, but also our NATO partners as well. So God bless you, you did a great job!…”
The 101st Airborne Division Band played the Army song and the 101st Song, with many of the soldiers singing along. After the short ceremony it was time for some quality family time.
This was the first time many of these soldiers had seen their loved ones since early 2010, and it showed. How families reacted to their reunion differed wildly. Some kissed, while others stood in the middle of the tumult lost in each others company. There were tears of joy and pain. Some posed for pictures. For the family men it was the beginning of the process of sharing the stories gathered during the lost year of their lives.
When the 15 minutes was over the soldiers were formed back up. It was time for the soldiers to march out to the buses, as the families were given a last minute briefing on potential issues that may arise and how to best to handle them.
If you are interested in attending a Welcome Home Ceremony. Flights are scheduled through next Saturday. Plan to arrive at least 2 hours early. Enter at Gate 7, and follow the signs. Hope to see you there!
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