Families welcome home 2nd Brigade

The air was charged with excitement Saturday as friends and Family Members sat, stood, ran around and jumped up and down as they waited for Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team to march into Magrath Gym.

Some Families arrived at the gym more than five hours early to guarantee they had good seats to welcome home their troops from a 15-month deployment to Iraq.

Melissa Prater, spouse of a Soldier from 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, said she felt “butterflies” of excitement in her stomach because she could not wait to see her husband.

“I’ve been waiting so long to see him,” she said. “I just can’t wait to hold his hand and kiss him.”

“I’m ready, I’m just ready,” said Emma Parra, another 4-31 Infantry spouse. Finally, the moment came, and cheers erupted as the first pair of boots stepped through the doorway, the applause growing louder with each stride of the 304 returning Soldiers.

Once the troops were in formation, the proud revelers quieted down to join them in honoring the flag as the national anthem was played.

Maj. Gen. Mike Oates, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Fort Drum commander, welcomed Soldiers home and commended Family Members for their perseverance. “It is really good to see you home,” he said. “You should be proud of yourselves. And Family Members – thank you, they couldn’t have done it without your help.”

Then, the troops’ leader only had to say one word – “released” – to trigger the wonderful chaos of Families sifting through the throng of people to finally reunite with their loved ones.

“I feel elated, excited, relieved,” Angela Aguilar exclaimed. Her husband, Sgt. Antonio Aguilar, agreed. “I’m just looking forward to us being able to spend time together,” he said. “It’s awesome to be back,” said Capt. Larry Forsyth, commander of C Company, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion. “I’m looking forward to getting to know my son, who was only a month old before I left.”

Soldiers who arrived Saturday included members of 4-31 Infantry, 2nd BSTB and 210th Brigade Support Battalion. The scene was repeated as another 200 troops from 210th BSB; 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment; and 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, arrived Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Soldiers in 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment; 2nd BSTB; 210th BSB; and 642nd Engineer Company were due to come home Wednesday. Additional troops from 2-15 FA and 4-31 Infantry are scheduled to return this week. Parra said she is excited to show her husband a surprise she bought him for his homecoming – a new truck.

Their 3-year-old son Dante agreed, saying he was wanted to “paint with Daddy” and “tell him the surprise.”

He kept saying, “I’m so excited Momma, I’m so excited!” Most Army Family Members could probably identify with Dante Parra’s response when asked what he was most excited about: “Uh, Daddy!”

Congratulations and give him this:

America was fortunate that WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Bosnia were all under DemocRat Presidents or the opposition would have called for our immediate surrender. The only reason it fell apart in Vietnam is that the Rat party was taken over by Communists who sided with the North Vietnamese. The real thing that Vietnam and Iraq have in common is that the same Anti-Americans are siding with the outsurgents. Everything else about the two wars is as different as jungle v desert. There never has been or ever will be a war where no soldier is killed. As we approach 2000 deaths in this war we must realize that this is perhaps the most casualty free war in the history of the World.

Here are the comparisons in America’s history:

Revolution 4,435

War of 1812 2,260

Mexican War 13,283

Civil War (Union) 364,511

Spanish American 2,446

WWI 116,516

WWII 405,399

Korea 36,913

Vietnam 58,184

The anti-America movement has been pretending that we are losing our Heroes like Vietnam when in reality it will end up being the Revolutionary War. How appropriate that we should have similar casualties we had forming our Great Country in helping start Iraq’s. As opposed to the so-called help we had with France, we are giving precious blood for Iraq. Rather than conquering and taking, our Best and Brightest have conquered and giving.

Imagine if Roosevelt had been a Republican? We would be speaking either German or Japanese depending on which side of the Mississippi you lived. Imagine if Truman weren’t a Dem during Korea? 36,000 killed in less than 4 years or 750 per month while nearly losing the war during the first 6 months? The Michael Maroons would have been having their “peace” rallies 24/7. The difference between the two parties is that we will support the Troops when they are at war whether we agree with the President or not. We did not Impeach clinton due to Bosnia, we “fought” Bosnia because he was Impeached. The Rats hate the Troops no matter how honorable the mission. They see no difference between our military and Hitler’s and only dream it were Stalin’s.

Is the opposition unpatriotic? Yep, they are. Fortunately in this country you are Free to be unpatriotic but, unlike every country they have supported; we don’t blindfold them in front of a pockmarked wall. These people are in denial that there are places like Iraq or Cuba where you had no Right to speak or write freely. The fact that we Speak against them is somehow a lack of Free Speech....WHAT??? Now the only people who have the moral authority to speak are the parents of the KIA. This old censorship trick was used by the feminists that only women could speak about abortion. If this is the measure, then really shouldn’t only those who are fighting in Iraq be able to speak?? Of course not since this is censorship of ideas after you lost the argument. The last time we listened to these people about Iraq was at the end of Iraq I. After the CIA had assured the Kurds and Shiites we would support them if they had an uprising we listened to the DemocRats and abandoned them mid-uprising. Nearly 500,000 Kurds and Shiites were gassed and buried in mass graves so we need to repeat this mistake again?? Pretty much the same results when Richard Nixon listened to these lily livered anti-Americans. Fortunately for the Iraqis, President George W Bush will not allow the killing fields of the left.

By any measure in the history of man, this is as successful and casualty-free war that has been fought. Considering you are going against an outsourced force that is trained and supplied by Iran, our Troops have done a phenomenal job. To give their blood for the Freedom of strangers will go down as one of the great freedom gifts of all times.

Why has this war been the success that it is? Simple really, GW asked the military to free Iraq with as few collateral deaths as possible and stayed out of the way. That caused our Freedom Fighters more risk and casualties, but they accomplished both in historic proportions. We are now witnessing Iraq being pulled out of a terrorist infested Turd World and becoming a new and dynamic economy. As they take ownership of their Country and truly free themselves of the chains of the past their baby steps will become strides as they become a member of the World. This will have a dramatic effect on the surrounding countries as they ask, “why not us?”

President George W Bush has a place in the future as one of the Great Visionaries in History. The Greying Commies have carved a place on the Ash Heap.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

Excellent essay. However, you say “As we approach 2000 deaths in this war . . ..” Does not the number now exceed 3000, total, including both combat KIA and in-theater deaths due to accidental causes? I assume a breakdown is available, distinguishing between these two causes of military deaths in Iraq, and also Afghanistan.
I would contend, absent compelling evidence to the contrary, that the number of deaths due to accidental incidents would have been roughly the same if all the military personnel that have served in Iraq/Afghanistan had instead been posted stateside or in other non-combat areas. One significant cause of death among military personnel that I have previously remarked is not operative in Iraq/Afghanistan: Crashes involving privately-owned automobiles/motorcycles. That is the basis of my contention on the matter of military casualties.
I well remember WWII, the early part of which I spent as a teen-aged farmhand, and the absence of daily direct-from-the-battlefronts casualty reports that could be exploited to demoralize the home front.

WOO HOO........... WELCOME HOME PING

More heroes have come home. Looks like we have a surge.

Time for another cyber party? Come one...Come all. Get yourself over here and help us celebrate another homecoming.

We’ve got music…….

The Some Kind of Wonderful by Grand Funk Railroad

We've got ladies here to dance with you, let the fun begin

yoo hoooooo....wanna dance, sonny?

I got myself a dance card, young man, if you're interested.

We’ve got food……

And, we’ve got drink…..

However, at a cyber party you're only allowed 2. We don't encourage drinking and FReeping. You know what they say, FRiends don't let FRiends drink and FReep.

Leave your keys at the door. We have a designated driver

Glad to have you home.

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