Posted on 04/24/2008 4:17:31 PM PDT by mylife
Published: April 24, 2008 02:33 am print this story email this story
Welcome home, soldiers By TRACY CHESNEY Herald-Banner Staff
The soldiers are finally coming home. Hoorah! Hoorah!
Soldiers from the Texas National Guard Armory, Alpha Company 3-144 IN, are returning to Greenville Friday morning at the Armory on Jack Finney Blvd. Sgt. Mat Buglehall, who is in charge of the homecoming event, is encouraging residents to show their support for the 168 soldiers who are returning from Iraq.
We hope to have residents line the streets, bring and wave their flags and make Welcome Home banners, he said.
The Greenville Police Department and the Hunt County Sherrifs Office escort will be leading the way for several buses full of soldiers. Residents are encouraged to show their support by lining the route, which will begin on Highway 34 South by Wal-Mart, left on Jack Finney Blvd. and the to the Armory.
The soldiers were deployed in May 2007, and Buglehall said it feels fantastic to have the unit come home again.
A lot of units that have lost some (individuals), but we're fortunate that we didnt have any casualties. We are very excited that they're coming home.
Today, the armory will be opened all day for people to decorate.
Anyone who wants to volunteer to decorate are welcomed to come help, he said. We would love to have hand-made posters and banners from kids, family members and the public to make banners, which will decorated the walls.
Several schools and businesses have already made Welcome Home banners with their signatures on it.
We would love to have more banners made by children, he said.
A police escort will lead the soldiers back to their unit. Representing the veterans are the Honor Guard, the American Legion and the VFW. There will also be a live broadcast from GEUS and a bounce house for the kids.
Soldiers from all over Texas are in the unit including individuals from Greenville, Commerce, Paris, Terrell, Garland, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth and North Richland Hills.
Wed also like to encourage all our businesses to display flags and put welcome signs out all over town to let them know how glad we are to have them back, said Greenville Chamber of Commerce president Sally Bird. They arent all from Greenville; they arent all from Hunt County; but theyre all deserving of a heartfelt Thank You and Welcome Home.
For information, call 903-455-4789.
It will be good to see them home!
Welcome home and God bless!!
Welcome home Troops!
A bttt for those who may have missed it.
You rock.
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