Welcome a Soldier home - You and your city can make a difference

 
On a Saturday afternoon last April 33 marines and one sailor came home from Iraq after many months in Falluja.  This was their 2^nd deployment to Iraq.

Our local newspaper, the Springfield Newsleader ( btw, it has recently switched its format so the front section of the paper is all local news)  featured Cindy Sheehan’s visit to Drury University on the front page the day before but didn’t think that local marines coming home to a heroes welcome by more than 2000 local residents (many more than went to see Sheehan) was important enough news for the front page.   They covered the event, but reported a rather bland – here’s the facts ma’am – story with one picture of a soldier embracing his fiancée after he got off the bus.  They put this story on p. 5.

There is so much more to the story.  In fact there are 2 stories here, the marines coming home and the huge community wide effort to thank them for their service to their country and welcome them home.

The Marines here asked a local conservative talk show host at KSGF newstalk radio, Vincent David Jericho, to help plan and coordinate a welcome home that these marines would never forget.

That is exactly what happened.

For 3 hours as the time counted down for their much anticipated arrival of the marine bus the grounds outside the armory

was filled with people and even more were lining the streets from N Glenstone to Pythian with lawn chairs waiting with flags and signs for the bus to arrive.

On the grounds there were pony rides, face painting, a banner for everyone to sign who came, lots of good barbecue - free for marine families waiting for their marine to get here, and proceeds that the rest of us paid going to help the wounded warrior project 

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As I walked thru the crowd of people who had come for this welcome home celebration I could sense the excitement, it was crackling and palpable and continued to grow all afternoon.

The families mingled with people who heard and came because they cared.  Children of all sizes climbed all over humvees and a huge camouflage truck with tires that were taller than I am. 

What really stood out to me is the different kinds of people who came together to welcome these young warriors home.  I saw a man with blond hair down to his elbows wearing a libertarian shirt talking to another man with a crewcut. 

Veterans chatted around a display of guns that were on the ground on display. 

Boys seemed fascinated with these and came back again and again to ‘play army’ or is that ‘play marine?’  All of this under the watchful eyes of marines on duty to make sure no one got hurt.  Families mingled back and forth in different areas, talking, sharing, bonded together by their caring about these young marines about to make it home.

Toward the end of the 3 hour celebration it was announced that the bus had made it to town.  They had an escort all of the way on the interstate and as soon as they hit town the sheriffs department and local police were there to lead them in.  As the bus drove in marines crowded to the front window to see the people cheering, waving American flags and welcome home, thank you for your service to our country signs.  I think they were surprised by this heroes welcome.

The crowd on the grounds packed close around the parking lot as we all waited with a quiet stillness that was reverent for the bus to pull in. 

Traditionally the marines with babies born while they were deployed get off the bus first.  Five moms holding babies were front and center as the bus pulled up amidst waving American flags

and cheering, screaming people.

The first marine flew off the bus as if he had wings on when it had barely come to a stop.  His arms swallowed his wife and baby as the crowd surged around them.

Beaming marines, thrilled to be home, edged their way thru the crowd, looking for their families were stopped over and over with a pro-offered hand and  ‘welcome home,’ ‘thank you for your service to our country,’ and ‘we’re so glad you are home!’ 

One boy who had made a poster that said in crayon, ‘Welcome Home Marines’ stood solemnly with big eyes as he watched these marines stream by.

After a few minutes the crowd began to melt away as we quietly left so that these marines could focus on their families.

So many people, so much caring.

Did we make a difference?

I believe we did.

These marines will always remember their welcome home.

I heard that someone saw a small group of Vietnam vets at the gate

with tears in their eyes and one of them said, ‘If only it could have been like that for us.’

If you are looking for a simple and easy way to make a difference where you live, take time to be there when local soldiers come home.

Find out when they are coming home, push for as many as possible to show up to welcome them home.  Call local radio stations and TV stations and your local newspaper and ask them for information and if they are covering the event.  Tell everyone you know.  

Most of all, be there yourself.

 
You can make a difference, even in this small way.