On Thursday, the Jacksonville Daily News (Jacksonville, North Carolina) reported that 25 members of the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 26 had returned home after spending a year in Iraq. I realize that our troops are constantly rotating in and out of war zones and some come home every day, but this was not a quiet homecoming.
According to the article:
"...Tony Fialkowski, national coordinator for the organization Warriors' Watch,... was one of three motorcyclists who traveled from as far as Pennsylvania to escort the men in style from their landing point at Cherry Point to where their families waited at New River. Though he participates in more than 600 homecomings every year, Fialkowski said, this one had special significance: The former Marine was stationed with MAG 26 for more than a year, four decades ago."
The article further reports:
"As part of the final Marine aviation element to leave Iraq in the continuing process of turning the nation's Al Asad region over to Army units, (the executive officer of MAG 26, Lt. Col. Frank) Crisafulli said the deployment had been about transition and releasing control to Iraqi forces. As the nation prepares for a ballot election this month, Crisafulli said, "this time it's really an Iraqi election. They've just got ownership of it.""
Thank you to all the men in the unit who came home, but please follow the link to the article to see the children of one Marine welcoming their father. We need to remember the sacrifices that the wives and children of our soliders, sailors, and airmen make. Thank you to all of our military and thank you to all their families for the sacrifices you also make.
On a personal note, this homecoming was special to me because one of the men in that unit has been very generous in sharing some of the pictures he has taken while he was overseas. Welcome home, all of you!
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