A horrible treat!

How could something be horrible but also be a treat you ask...2hr c130 flight followed by 18hrs of Kuwait, a 2 hr bus ride with no AC, 4hr layover in Germany at 2am and a 16 hr flight to the states…here is where the treat comes in...I was traveling home!

It was a long process to get home. Little if any sleep but two days later I was home.

It was horrible but so worth it. Now to dwell on the treat...when the 16 hr flight was over I landed in Dallas Fort Worth. There were around 100 soldiers traveling home for R&R.

We landed and were immediately greeted by two fire trucks. The announcement over the loud speaker "DFW fire department salutes you". The fire trucks pull up alongside the plane and blast water over top of us. All of the soldiers talk like we don’t care and it is not that big of a deal...we just want to get home, but in that moment every eye was looking out the small airplane windows and there was silence. I could feel the honor of the moment throughout the plane.

Although the seatbelt sign was still on everyone is up getting bags ready to leave the plane. Repeated attempts by the stewardess to keep us seated failed. The doors opened up and the race began. The excitement of being so close to home was overwhelming.

The gate for returning soldiers if different than average incoming flight. We are ushered up ramps and then diverted to an escalator. Down a long deserted hallway until one wall breaks to windows that overlook the airport passengers waiting to get on their flights. We are above them and our arrival was anticipated. People below stop what they were doing, stand, and clap...some cheer some blow kisses some wave. Kind of weird at first but I couldnt help but wave back. The kids would jump for joy when I would wave at them wave looking at their parents with satisfied eyes. Hundreds of people cheering and waving... awe struck!

The end of the hallway brings us in to an empty floor with an international customs gate. We all gathered around our escort. Looking around I could see some misty eyes. The soldiers and marines quickly gather composure as we are given instructions about our R&R stay. After the brief we are pushed through customs and down an escalator where to my surprise there a few people shaking hands and welcoming us back. A few hands to shake and some thanks...not quite...around the corner there was a gauntlet of people to walk between. Veterans line the aisle way as well as many other people. The soldiers in front of me shook an occasional hand but I couldn’t bring myself to miss one of them. It took me 15mins to walk out the door.

The phrases, "Welcome back soldier", "We sure love you guys", "I can’t say thanks enough", "God Bless You" were everywhere. I feel bad because once the right side of the aisle way got hold of my hand I couldn’t stop to catch the left side.

Shock... That is the only way to describe how I was feeling. The love was permeating the building.

My trip home was horrible but the treat at the end was amazing. I can’t say thanks enough to all of those people at the airport.

I wasn’t supposed to fly out until the next day. I managed to get on a standby to SLC but didn’t make it on the next stand by to get home. I happened to be with two other soldiers trying to get to the same place so we decided to split a rental car...3 hours later the treat was turned into a dream come true when Melissa pulled up to get me.