Welcome home 4th Id - God speed 1st Cav

FORT HOOD — When Sgt. 1st Class Jesus Luna last saw his youngest child, she couldn't even crawl.

In fact, at 5 months, Jeni had waited until the day after her father left Fort Hood for a yearlong stay in Iraq to cross that all-important milestone.

But Monday, clad in pink frills and white sandals, 17-month-old Jeni trotted around, oblivious to the significance of the long-awaited homecoming that had brought her mother, Monica, brothers, relatives and more than a hundred other family members to the post's largest gymnasium.

"I don't have any words, but I'm glad to be home," said Jesus Luna of the 4th Infantry's Division Artillery as he hugged his 5-year-old son, Jesse, and 14-year-old son, Sergio Sontag. "Seeing my little kids, I haven't seen them in about a year now — my little girl's walking. I'm just happy to be home."

For Monica Luna, the reunion, almost two hours after the aircraft carrying the soldiers touched down at Robert Gray Army Airfield, was a welcome relief from a year-long separation.

"I'm shaking. I'm glad he's home, I'm glad he's safe," said Monica, who was joined by her husband's older brother, Frank Luna of Arizona, and his mother, Tomasa Luna of Brownsville. "We have some friends that aren't as fortunate as we are and we just thank God he made it home."

Marking the beginning of the 4th Infantry Division's official return from its deployment to Iraq, the entry of 60 soldiers into the gym Monday afternoon prompted whoops, cheers and more tears from their families, friends and comrades.

"It's awesome," said Pfc. Lance Rollason, who finally was able to thank Sgt. John Truax of Bravo Company, 299th Engineer Battalion for pulling him to safety during an attack Dec. 18 near Baji.

It was a proud moment for Ronda Truax as she watched her husband reunite with the young soldier who had been evacuated out of Iraq for medical treatment.

"He's a hero," she said. "But he's going to kill me for telling everyone about it. He's really modest."

Truax's said his plans were to "take a shower and sit on my section of the sofa" before dining on his wife's pot roast at their home in Copperas Cove.

The Fort Hood-based division deployed more than 12,000 troops from Fort Hood in late March. Because their departure was delayed because of political wrangling with Turkey over landing rights in that country, the 4th Infantry missed the U.S.-led thrust into Baghdad. However, the Ivy Division secured its spot in history on Dec. 13 after some 600 of its 1st Brigade soldiers pulled Saddam Hussein from a hole in the ground at a farmhouse just south of Tikrit, the ousted dictator's hometown.

"You are one of the first to come back. Over the next several weeks we are going to have the entire division in and Task Force Ironhorse," said Col. Dan Shanahan, the division's rear detachment commander. "We're proud of you."

Shanahan's command to "fall out" prompted a human tidal wave toward the small desert uniform-clad contingent.

"I can't believe it's like it's not going to happen, even though I'm sitting here," said Karen Gilder of Akron, Ohio. "I just want to hug him and hold on tight."

Her husband, Master Sgt. Henry Gilder, a Lufkin native and member of the Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, had other ideas, snapping pictures of his wife with his disposable camera.

"It's great to be back," said Gilder, pausing long enough from his photography endeavors to hug his wife.

Gilder said his only plans now that he was back were to spend time with his wife and daughters, Tayla and Cydnee.

In the next few weeks, the 4th Infantry's advance party will make necessary preparations for the return of most of the division's units. Their duties will include operations at Texas seaports and Fort Hood railhead when the division's tanks and heavy equipment begin arriving from Iraq.

The advance party soldiers arrived early to spend time with their families before the division begins the bulk of its return after March 25. Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of the 4th Infantry and its Task Force Ironhorse units, has said he wants all of his troops back home by Easter.

The advance party's return to Fort Hood also came hours before a community rally to show support for the post's other major command, the 1st Cavalry Division.

The gymnasium, set up to send off some 17,000 members of the 1st Cavalry to Baghdad where it will relieve troops from the 1st Armored Division, was a reminder of what still lies ahead for Fort Hood and its surrounding communities.

Looking around the familiar setup, Monica Luna urged her 1st Cavalry counterparts to stick together during the separation that is expected to last at least 12 months.

"Stay close to your FRG. My FRG was my lifesaver," said Monica Luna of her unit's family readiness group. "We all told each other our woes and our yays. The best thing for us was each other."

On a Presidents Day few will forget, the Killeen area rallied to show its support for 1st Cavalry Division soldiers as the division leaves for Iraq and welcomed home 60 of its 4th Infantry Division heroes from the desert hotspot.

As he thanked about 2,000 supporters gathered Monday at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center, the 1st Cavalry's commander urged the area's nine communities to give the 4th Infantry and its Task Force Ironhorse units a hero's welcome.

"If there's one thing that you can do for us, that is to welcome home the great soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division when they come home next month," said Maj. Gen. Pete Chiarelli to thunderous applause. "We, like you, think every single member of Task Force Ironhorse ... are all heroes and we know you'll welcome them back as heroes."

With the arrival of the 4th Infantry's advance party Monday, the division is expected to begin returning in bulk in late March. Maj. Gen. Ray Odierno, the 4th Infantry's commander, has set a goal of bringing all of the division's troops home by Easter.

Noting it was a different time, location and mission for the 1st Cavalry Division as it prepares to relieve the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad, Chiarelli urged the community to stop harmful comparisons of the two divisions.

"I ask you to help Ray and me forever put aside some of the ... unhealthy competition that the two divisions have had," Chiarelli said. "We are a nation at war and we've got to pull together. If there's anything this community has taught us, it's the need to pull together."

Thanking the community for its support of his division, Chiarelli said his soldiers are finding comfort knowing their families will be taken care of.

"There is absolutely nothing this division or its family members need as far as preparing for Iraq; you've done it all. You've done it in a way that makes us so proud and so thankful," Chiarelli said. "We've gotten to watch the way that you have taken care of the spouses of the 4th Infantry Division and 13th COSCOM (Corps Support Command) and all the Fort Hood soldiers and for the soldier, there's nothing that makes us feel better than watching that and knowing you'll do the same for our spouses."

"What does it say about the integrity and values of our soldiers when a soldier about to lead thousands of others, his comrades to war to defend our families, stands here and spends 90 percent of his time thanking Central Texans for what you do? And then, in the last 10 percent of his speech, he makes a request of you that's not for himself and his soldiers, but is for the other soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division coming home, " Edwards said. "Ladies and gentlemen, that's why today we have the finest Army in the history of the world."

The 90-minute rally was organized by the Regional Mayors Task Force of Central Texas and the Fort Hood Chapter of the Association of the United States Army. Cities represented at the event included Belton, Copperas Cove, Gatesville, Harker Heights, Killeen, Lampasas, Nolanville, Salado and Temple.

Music was provided by the Copperas Cove High School Band and Shoemaker High School's After Hours singers. Temple's Air Force JROTC members posted the colors and the Harker Heights Cub, Boy, Brownie and Girl Scouts led the pledge of allegiance.

Highlights included a video performance by country singer Larry Gatlin and remarks from III Corps commander, Lt. Gen. Thomas F. Metz in Baghdad. Messages to their families by two III Corps soldiers also were aired.

In his prerecorded video address, Metz reported a smooth arrival for Fort Hood's headquarters command, which left in January.

"We're in great shape here," said Metz, who also took time to tout Adopt-A-Unit, a partnership project between Fort Hood and the surrounding communities.

"It just once again it's all about being in Central Texas," said Beth Chiarelli. "You know, there's nobody left in Killeen that feels like there aren't people watching out for them."

"You don't see support like this in every community. Texas seems to be real good about serving their troops," Degaray said. "It's going to be hard being away from our families, but we're trained and ready to go over there and do what we got to do."

"Its great that the community has shown support for the soldiers getting ready to leave, and those already gone," Webster said.

Janice Lee, who was in town from Seattle, Wash., decided to volunteer her time at the rally to show her support for the troops.

"We've handed out about 2,000 flags tonight," Lee said. "It seems like a lot of people came out to say goodbye to the 1st Cavalry."

Also in the audience was Kimberly Lopez, who is married to a combat engineer with the 4th Infantry in Iraq.

"I didn't know about the send-off rally for the 4th ID until it was over, so I'm glad that the send-off for the 1st Cavalry is so nice," Lopez said. "It gave me a chance to show my support for our nation's troops."

Nicholas Burns, a member of Boy Scouts Troop 243 joined his peers in saying the pledge of allegiance.

"I was a little nervous but I felt proud to say the pledge of allegiance," said Nicholas, whose father, Chad Burns, is stationed in Korea.

"I came out to support the departure of our soldiers, because there is no greater sacrifice then to lay your life on the line, said Horace Grace of Killeen. "I did it in Vietnam, but our departure and return home were not really celebrated. But, that's why I'm here, to make sure that these troops get the send-off they deserve."

(Temple-telegram.com) FORT HOOD — About 60 soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division paid an unexpected call on Fort Hood Monday. The Presidents’ Day surprise caught much of the media off guard and had families scrambling to assemble at Abrams Field House to wish the soldiers a warm welcome home. The special group was part of an advance party that will make preparations necessary for the return of the entire division later in March and early April, said Cecil Green, public affairs officer with III Corps at Fort Hood. Green said more of the advance group numbering in the hundreds would follow over the next few days in several planeloads. He said they will coordinate activities at railheads and seaports as division tanks and heavy equipment arrives home from Iraq. They will spend time with families first, then prepare for the rest of division to make flights home. Families began gathering in the gym before noon. Disco music, a trademark for Army comings and goings during deployment and re-deployment, blared while the restless crowd gathered in the bleachers and at tables with American flags and welcome home signs.

Five-year-old Abigail Wilbeck receives a reassuring kiss from her father, Maj. Chris Wilbeck, as the two watch a video on the 1st Cavalry Division during a community ceremony Monday saluting the soldiers as they start deploying to Iraq.

Wearing a small-sized version of his father's uniform, 3-year-old D.J. Cadena stands at attention for the national anthem before greeting Sgt. Daniel Cadena during a ceremony Monday at Fort Hood to welcome home advance units of the 4th Infantry Division. The post will be busy for the next few months as the 4th ID returns from Iraq, and the 1st Cavalry Division begins to deploy to the region.

Soldiers return - Capt. Danielle Schug hugs her daughter, Thaila Ann, 5, Monday. Capt. Schug is in the first wave of 4th ID soldiers returning to Hood from Iraq.

Welcome home 4th Id - God speed 1st Cav
A heroes volly ping is due. Hooyah!

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!

11 posted on 02/18/2004 7:13:18 PM PST by ForGod'sSake (ABCNNBCBS: An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly.)

It sure was !
The 4th Infantry undertook Operation Red Dawn to find Saddam.
They are based in Texas - Fort Hood.
They got their man - captured Saddam. "Don't mess with Texas!":

An Iraqi woman holds up handwritten signs to express her happiness
at the capture of Saddam Hussein !

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