Fort Campbell, KY – Yesterday Fort Campbell welcomed 154 soldiers from the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade home from a year long deployment to Southern Afghanistan. The 159th Combat Aviation Brigade is one of the last major elements of the 101st Airborne Division still deployed in Afghanistan.
Family and friends of the returning soldiers had gathered together to give their loved ones a proper welcome home.
The New England Patriots game was a hot topic of conversation throughout the evening with people following the game however they could. The weather was another popular subject as it had gone from a light drizzle to a steady downpour, and dwindling back to a light misting as the time for the flight to arrive drew near. The flight was originally scheduled to land at 5:30pm, but the flight was delayed in leaving Indianapolis and so wouldn’t arrive until just after 6:30pm.
During the downtime I was fortunate to receive a few minutes with Brig. Gen Jeffery N. Colt, the Deputy Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division. I asked him how it felt to see nearly all of the 101st Airborne Division back home; as once the 159th has fully returned there will be nearly 29,000 soldiers back on Fort Campbell. “I’m excited,” he responded. “It’s special to see everybody be able to celebrate what is a tremendous achievement all the way around. It’s going to be a great thing for the Division to have a few months with everybody at home to celebrate its accomplishments, reflect on its history, and get ready to move forward again.”
When asked about the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade he said, “The 159th Aviation Brigade has been active in Southern Afghanistan undertaking a full range of missions including assaults, general support, attack aviation, scout and reconnaissance, along with security. The 101st Airborne Division’s air units are a tremendous force enabler, especially in Afghanistan given the ruggedness of the terrain and dispersion of the ground units.” He then gave some high praise to the men of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, “Our forces on the ground are some of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade’s biggest fans! They talk really highly about them,” he said.
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.
The flight touched down at 6:30pm to the cheers of the soldiers loved ones. After landing the plane taxied to the disembarking point, where the passenger boarding stairs were moved in position. Cheers rose again when the door to the plane opened; and again when the first soldiers appeared in the door. After deplaning as the soldiers walked slowly to the hangar; every soldier’s eyes were focused on the crowd searching for their loved ones. The crowd was doing the same, and as those in the crowd spotted their soldier, they shouted out his or her name to attract their attention.
When the soldiers had passed, the families returned into the hangar to take part in the short ceremony that was all that stood between them and their loved ones.
The Ceremony begins with the opening of the hangar door. The soldiers march into the facility as those in the crowd cheer wildly for them.
There is a brief ceremony consisting of a short prayer of thanks for their return, followed by remarks from Maj. Gen. James McConville, Commander of the 101st Airborne Division; who when possible personally welcomes the returning soldiers back home.
“Welcome Home and what a wonderful night it is, this is a wonderful night because we get to welcome home these great soldiers who did an absolutely fabulous job for twelve months in Afghanistan. Please join me in giving them a hand.” To which the crowd was only too happy to oblige. He continued, “It’s also a wonderful night because we are here at the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, and if you didn’t catch the score Patriots 23, Baltimore 20,” he quipped as a loud chuckle was heard erupting from the VIP section on stage. He continued, “And, there may be a job opening for a field goal kicker if anyone here can kick field goals,” referring to the Raven’s missed field goal attempt; to which the crowd roared with laughter.
Maj. Gen. McConville then spoke to the soldiers directly about the importance of what they have accomplished. “Our first division commander William Lee said that this Division had “no history but it had a rendezvous with destiny,” and since that time it has had an incredible history! At Normandy, at Bastogne, in the jungles of Vietnam, in the deserts and cities of Iraq, and now in Afghanistan! And you great soldiers have added to that history, and you are a part of that history. No matter where you go, or what you do you can feel proud of the fact that when you wore this patch on your right shoulder that you upheld the legacy of this Division.”
He then addressed the families thanking them for their sacrifices, “I want to thank the family members that are here you are all air assault strong, and your loved ones couldn’t do what they do without you.”
The General then closed his speech as he always does with a reminder for the soldiers to continue to look out for each other. “And finally You took care of each other in combat, you are home now and you need to (continue to) take care of each other. Again a job well done, welcome home, Air Assault!”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Soldiers are given 20 minutes of family time which enables them to begin the reunification process with their families. It’s quite a sight to see as these brave warriors rock hard demeanor melt when they hold their children, and kiss their mothers, wives, or girlfriends for the first time in a year. Believe me, there is never a dry eye in the house.
After the visitation time is over the soldiers form back up, the soldiers march from the hanger en masse and board buses to go to their unit to turn in weapons and other sensitive items.
The soldier’s families are then given a short brief on reintegration issues, and then returned to their vehicles. to go pick up their loved ones once their turn-in was complete.
This was the third flight of soldiers from the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade to return home. The 3000 soldiers of the Brigade should be completely home in the next few months. There are currently flights schedule to arrive on Tuesday and Saturday of this week.
If you wish to attend a Welcome Home Ceremony, check the flight schedules online, as times are subject to change at anytime. When arriving to Fort Campbell, enter via Gate 7; if you don’t have installation stickers on your vehicle, you will be required to get a visitor pass. From there just follow the signs to the ceremony parking. Waiting buses transport family members safely to the hanger.
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