Hugs, smiles and many tears filled the air Tuesday morning at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport as several area soldiers departed Lowndes County en route to Iraq.
About 10 local U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Camp Atterbury, near Edinburgh, Ind., returned to Indiana Tuesday to prepare for their deployment to the Middle East later this week.
Although many of the departing troops had been with family members and friends since Saturday, the soldiers agreed the brief trip home was enjoyable.
“I”ve only been home since Saturday, but I have definitely enjoyed my time here,” said 21-year-old Caledonia resident Army Spc. Ben Brashier, as he waited in the airport terminal with his father, Larry.
“We will return to Indiana before we leave for Iraq on the 28th,” Ben Brashier added. “We don”t know for sure, but we think we will be over in Iraq for about a year before we return to the United States.”
“I sure am proud of both of them,” Larry Brashier, wearing a red “support our troops” shirt, said as he noted his son”s twin brother also was leaving Tuesday for Camp Atterbury.
Sgt. Brian Price, 30, and his mother, Jamie, also had been working to make the most of their time together before the soldier departed the Golden Triangle.
“I had a lot of fun at home, but I feel like I just got here,” Brian Price, of Caledonia, said, noting this will be his first overseas deployment. “It was a great time, but definitely very short lived.”
Jamie Price, wearing a shirt reading “Brian, my son, my soldier, my hero,” smiled and hugged her son when asked what she thought of his military service.
“I am very, very proud of him, what he represents and what he is doing for our country, as you can see by my shirt,” Jamie Price laughed. “When he comes back home, we will all be waiting here with open arms.”
Vardaman resident Sgt. Brent Sullivan and his two sisters also plan to celebrate Sullivan”s return to the Magnolia State.
“I had a really good time and got to spend a lot of time with my family during the past three days,” Sullivan said. “I had been up in Indiana for about a month, so it was great to come home for a few days.”
Though she admitted it was hard to see her brother leave, Tara Sullivan said she had much pride for Brent Sullivan”s military service.
“Oh yeah, I”m proud. I”m very proud of him,” Tara Sullivan said shortly before her brother boarded a commercial airplane with the other Indiana-bound soldiers. “It”s hard to see him go, but we will be waiting for him when he gets back.”
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