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My brother in Gainesville, Georgia closed down his store for a bit to capture the funeral procession of Corporal Matthew Phillips, on the way to neighboring Cumming. Matthew was one of the nine killed in Afghanistan not long ago.

AN Australian Special Forces soldier, who was injured in Afghanistan after his vehicle was hit by an insurgent improvised explosive device (IED) late last month, has returned to Australia, Defence said. Two soldiers were injured in the blast which took place during a Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) patrol returning from a successful clearance operation when the attack occurred. The second soldier was slightly wounded in the explosion. Fellow soldiers provided immediate first aid before both soldiers were flown by helicopter to a nearby International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) medical facility, defence force spokesman Brigadier Brian Dawson said. "The medical...

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Sgt. Gene F. Clark, U.S. Army, of Muncie, Ind. He will be buried June 28 in Muncie. Representatives from the Army met with Clark's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army. In September 1950, Clark was assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion,...

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Lt. Cmdr. Ralph C. Bisz, U.S. Navy, of Miami Shores, Fla. His funeral arrangements are being set by his family. On Aug. 4, 1967, Bisz took off in an A-4E Skyhawk from the USS Oriskany to bomb an enemy petroleum depot near Haiphong, Vietnam. As he neared the target, his aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile...

VA MEDICAL CENTER HOSTS "WELCOME HOME" CELEBRATION FOR RETURNING COMBAT VETERANS June 9, 2008 WASHINGTON, DC - The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, DC will honor returning combat veterans with a unique outreach and education event on Saturday, June 14, 2008 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Welcome Home Celebration will be held on the hospital grounds at 50 Irving Street, NW, rain or shine. More here

Soldier Missing In Action From Korean War Is Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga. He will be buried on June 26 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Requesting prayer for the family, friends, and loved ones of Sgt. 1st Class W.T. Akins, U.S. Army, of Decatur, Ga.. Representatives from the Army met...

Tears, hugs and American flags welcomed members of a North Dakota National Guard unit back to their home state after nearly a year in Iraq.Most of the 104 members of the 817th Engineer Company arrived at Jamestown airport on two chartered flights Saturday, shortly after 7 a.m., about 45 minutes ahead of schedule. Eleven soldiers had returned earlier and two went directly to homes in Wisconsin and Colorado.Guard officials did their best to notify families of the early arrival, and hundreds turned out to welcome home the troops."The year is done," said Daine Flieth, who was reunited with her husband,...

Media Advisory Fallen Soldier Returning Home MA 08-006 - June 5, 2008 OTTAWA, Ont. — Our fallen soldier, Captain Richard (Steve) Leary, a member of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, based in Shilo, Manitoba, is scheduled to return home to Canada tomorrow. Where: 8 Wing Trenton, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario. When: Friday, June 6, 2008, 2 p.m. What: Media are invited to view the arrival; however, no interviews will be given. Present to pay their respects will be the Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and...

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Pfc. Milton Dinerboiler Jr., U.S. Army, of Elkhart, Ind. His burial date is being set by his family. Representatives from the Army met with Dinerboiler’s next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army. In late November 1950, Dinerboiler was assigned to the Heavy Mortar...

FORT STEWART, GA (WTOC) - The man who commands the Third Infantry Division returned home to the Coastal Empire with more than 200 soldiers Monday. Major General Rick Lynch reflected on his division's success in Iraq and the support they felt from being back at home. "In the course of life, you get a choice between reading history and making history, and by God, we made history over the past 15 months," he said to hundreds of family members and soldiers at Fort Stewart Monday. Minutes earlier at Hunter Army Airfield, he talked about the history Third Infantry made in...

NASIRIYAH, Iraq (AFP) — The 550-strong Australian contingent in Iraq withdrew from its bases in the south of the country on Sunday as most of the troops prepared to head home, Iraqi and Australian officials said. The soldiers left following a flag-lowering ceremony at the Imam Ali airbase west of the city of Nasiriyah, the capital of Dhi Qar province, governor Aziz Kadoum Alwan said. "The Australian soldiers left today from Dhi Qar and Muthanna provinces," Alwan said. In Sydney the Australian Defence Force said in a statement that the "Overwatch Battle Group and the Australian army training team formally...

- Australia, a staunch U.S. ally and one of the first countries to commit troops to the Iraq war five years ago, ended combat operations there Sunday, a Defense Department official said. ADVERTISEMENT Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was swept into office in November largely on the promise that he would bring home the country's 550 combat troops by the middle of 2008. Rudd has said the Iraq deployment has made Australia more of a target for terrorism.

AUSTRALIAN troops have begun arriving home from Iraq, signalling an end to the nation's combat mission in the war-torn country and fulfilling an election promise made by Kevin Rudd. The first of about 500 soldiers from the Overwatch Battle Group (West) 4 and Australia's Army Training Team reportedly touched down in Brisbane late this afternoon. The soldiers had been stationed at Tallil air base, 300km south of Baghdad, and were responsible for providing security training for Iraqi forces, as well as reconstruction and aid work. A British military spokesman in the southern city of Basra has confirmed the withdrawal was...

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Maj. Barclay B. Young, of Hartford, Conn.; and Senior Master Sgt. James K. Caniford, of Brunswick, Md. The names of the two others are being withheld at the request of their families. All men were U.S. Air Force. Caniford will be buried May 28 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and Young’s burial date is being set...

I just witnessed the greatness of Americans as I drove past the route which the funeral procession will take on the way to bury Loveland's first military loss in the war against terror. The route is approximately 10 miles long - and every street corner is lined with citizens and American flags and signs saying God bless our Troops. No Code Pinks - no antiwar just one long field of American flags. It appears that a grade school allowed all their students to be present - the high school also allowed students to attend. Tears wear in my eyes as...

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing from the Korean War, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Sgt. 1st Class George W. Koon of Leesville, S.C.; and Sgt. 1st Class Jack O. Tye of Loyall, Ky.; both U.S. Army. Koon will be buried tomorrow in Leesville, and Tye will be buried Monday in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Representatives from the Army met with the soldiers' next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate...

The Canadian warship HMCS Charlottetown returned to Halifax harbour under sunny skies Wednesday after completing a six-month tour of the Persian Gulf that was marked by a major illicit drug seizure and a rescue off the coast of Oman. Hundreds of friends and family members carrying balloons and banners lined the military dock as the frigate was tied up on the west side of the sprawling harbour. The Charlottetown's mission involved surveillance, boarding suspicious vessels and gaining intelligence on potential terrorist activity in a body of water that is key to the international trade of oil. ``It's been a very...

The mood at the Bay City Municipal Airport was somber and respectful as over 400 grateful Americans from Bay City and surrounding areas gathered to honor the life and great sacrifice of Cpl. David McCormick when he was returned home from Iraq just after 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 4. The crowd watched silently and tearfully as McCormick’s family gathered around the flag draped casket to be led in prayer by Dr. Michael Zimmerman, long-time family pastor from First Baptist Church of Bay City. An honor guard from Fort Sam Houston was sent to welcome their fallen comrade home and will...

Members of the Minnesota National Guard received an emotional outpouring of support along Highway 12 Wednesday. Friends, relatives, and strangers lined up for nearly 35 miles to welcome them home from Iraq to their final destination in Litchfield. From 35 miles away in Delano all the way to Litchfield flags, signs and cheers filled the air. They all lined up for the arrival of the 94 troops from the Litchfield based 849th Mobility Augmentation Company. For nearly a year they've been missed by co-workers, honeymoons have been on hold and the last few minutes of waiting at the Litchfield Armory...

CINCINNATI (AP) - Thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral of a young Ohio soldier whose remains were found in Iraq last month, four years after he was kidnapped west of Baghdad. Great American Ballpark, the home of the Cincinnati Reds, will host the memorial Sunday for Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin, who grew up in suburban Batavia. Maupin was honored Saturday by hundreds of mourners who lined the Cincinnati streets with American flags as a police procession led his casket to a memorial service. The 20-year-old was captured April 9, 2004, when insurgents attacked his fuel convoy. The...

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...

Family and friends waited in anticipation at Volk Field Saturday to welcome home the troops of the Wisconsin National Guard Troop E, 105th Cavalry.  Roschelle Easterday, wife of Troop 1SG Paul Easterday, can't wait to see her husband, who's been gone almost a year fighting in Iraq. "We're pretty excited to see each other.  It's been a long time and the rest of his family's here as well and we're pretty excited," says Easterday.     Soldiers from the Troop E, 105th Cavalry saw significant action while stationed in Iraq, which made some family members nervious at times.  "If I don't get in touch with...

Bay Area Brothers Welcomed Home from Iraq Written by Melanie Morgan    Friday, 11 April 2008 This story makes my heart skip a beat. Two brothers, both Marines, serving their country in Iraq, came home safely to the San Francisco Bay Area last night. And they were greeted as heroes at the airport by the Patriot Guard Riders, EaglesUP West Coast coordinator Doug Lyvere, family and soon- to- be friends. KPIX News covered it here.250 people showed up! The Boy Scouts waited anxiously to say hello.I know that readers of this blog from the South, the Midwest and other parts...

Last Colorado Air Guard MIA Laid to Rest in Arlington Cemetery Story by Tech Sgt. Mike Smith Posted on 04.08.2008 at 01:43PM ARLINGTON, Va. - The remains of Colorado Air National Guard Maj. Perry H. Jefferson, who vanished during an observation flight 39 years ago over the jungles of South Vietnam, were at last laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Three days of events here were a high-profile attempt to put closure to a missing-in-action mystery, but what exactly happened to the intelligence officer and his Army Reserve pilot, then-1st Lt. Arthur Ecklund, during their fateful observation flight may...

ARLINGTON, Va., April 4, 2008 – The remains of Colorado Air National Guard Maj. Perry H. Jefferson, who vanished during an observation flight 39 years ago over the jungles of South Vietnam, were at last laid to rest yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery. Members of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard carry the remains of Colorado Air National Guard Maj. Perry Jefferson into the Old Chapel on Fort Myer, Va., April 3, 2008, 39 years after Jefferson went missing in action in Vietnam. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith, USAF  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Three days...

PEORIA - This weekend figures to be a busy one for those involved with military in the Peoria area. Forty Marine reservists from Company C, 6th Engineer Support Battalion are headed home this morning after seven months in Iraq. Then, at 9 a.m. Sunday, 60 Illinois Army National Guard members will leave Peoria and head to Indiana to begin training for a yearlong deployment to Kosovo as part of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission known as Kosovo Force 10 (KFOR10). In both cases, the public is welcome to attend the ceremonies but should arrive at least 30 minutes before. Parking might...

LANCASTER [CA] - The football team at Desert Christian High School rose as one Friday morning, standing at attention to celebrate a Marine alum's return from Iraq and to honor another Desert Christian graduate, an Army soldier killed in action on Easter Sunday. "What is a Knight?" the team shouted in unison. "I am my brother's keeper! I am a warrior! I am a champion!" Each student-athlete was signaling respect, rejoicing and mourning. Rejoicing at the safe return of a former teammate, Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick Lee, who received 50 "care packages" from students at his alma mater while stationed...

A heroes' return - troops home after Afghan tour   Well-wishers lined the streets of Maidstone yesterday to welcome Kent soldiers back from Afghanistan. Around 330 troops from 36 Engineer Regiment marched through the county town in a cold and wet homecoming parade. Major General Keith Cima presented the men with medals for their sixth-month tour of the dangerous Helmand Province. The general said that the troops had, “helped to make Afghanistan a better place for her people”. “You have undergone the fear, the fun and the challenge of operational service,” he added. “You can look anybody straight in...

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is U.S. Army Sgt. Harry J. Laurence of Cleveland, Ohio. He will be buried April 9 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Representatives from the Army met with Laurence's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army. Laurence was a member of L Company,...

Missing WWII Airman is Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is 2nd Lt. Arthur F. Eastman, U.S. Army Air Forces, of East Orange, N.J. He will be buried in September in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Representatives from the Army met with Eastman’s next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the...

F-18 pilot returns home to canine friend from Iraqi war zone They spent months in an Iraqi war zone cementing a special bond. Marine Major Brian Dennis greets Nubs early Saturday morning at Camp Pendleton. But after more than a month of being apart, Marine Maj. Brian Dennis began to worry if Nubs the dog would still remember him, especially in a new place like San Diego. Their reunion early Saturday at Camp Pendleton clearly showed otherwise. The 2-year-old old dog, named for his two nubby ears, drenched Dennis' face with doggie kisses and said hello with excited whimpers. “You...

Marine Reunited in San Diego With Dog He Rescued in IraqA San Diego-based Marine major was reunited on Saturday with one of his closest war buddies — a 2-year-old dog named Nubs. Nubs greeted Maj. Brian Dennis at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station when the fighter pilot returned from Iraq. It was the first time the two were together since Dennis' family and close friends helped raise $3,500 to fly the dog to San Diego about a month ago. Nubs wasn't allowed to stay on base in Iraq. Dennis, 36, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., had spotted the mongrel dog...

FORT RILEY, Kan., March 18, 2008 – The 1st Infantry Division’s commanding general yesterday welcomed home 37 U.S. servicemembers who served overseas for the past year as advisors with Afghan or Iraqi forces. Army Capt. James King and wife Alisha embrace at the end of the redeployment ceremony on Fort Riley, Kan., March 17,2008. Defense Dept. photo by Gerry J. Gilmore  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “The first thing that I will do is tell all the troops and their families that they have my personal thanks and my professional admiration for the service that they provide to...

Media Advisory Our Fallen Soldier Returns Home LFCA MA 08-006 - March 18, 2008OTTAWA, Ont. - Our fallen soldier, Sergeant Jason Boyes, 32, 2nd Battalion, Princes Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI), based out of Shilo, Manitoba, is scheduled to return home to Canada tomorrow. Where: 8 Wing Trenton, Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario.When: Wednesday, March 19, 2:00 p.m.What: At the wishes of the family, there will be no media permitted on the tarmac and no interviews will be given. Present to pay their respects will be Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada,...

More than 100 British soldiers were forced to wait for six hours on a plane because their uniforms represented a security risk, it has been claimed. The treatment of the soldiers, who were returning from fighting on the front line in Afghanistan for one week's "rest and recuperation", was described by MPs today as "clumsy and insulting" and "outrageous and unacceptable". The Ministry of Defence said that what had happened had clearly been "regrettable". The soldiers' plane had been due to land at the Oxfordshire RAF base Brize Norton but freezing fog forced a diversion to Manchester Airport. Although they...

General Odierno Returns Home By G. Tracy Mehan, III Published 3/7/2008 12:07:28 AM

Cpl. Eric A. Otero, a squad leader with Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, hugs his daughter Kiali, 3, after returning Feb. 12 from a seven-month deployment. MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Feb. 21, 2008) -- Wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, and other friends were among the excited greeters waiting for the return of Marines from 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Feb. 12 at the battalion’s home at 53 Area, Camp Horno. Flags waved and children played on the parade deck behind the headquarters building for 1/1 – the “First of the First� – who were drawing to...

Missing WWII Airmen Are Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three U.S. servicemen, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are 2nd Lt. John F. Lubben, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.; Sgt. Albert A. Forgue, of North Providence, R.I.; and Sgt. Charles L. Spiegel, of Chicago, Ill.; all U.S. Army Air Forces. They will be buried on April 18 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (Feb. 15, 2008) -- Families and friends gathered at Goettge Field House, here, to celebrate the return of their Marines and Sailors. The 2nd Marine Logistics Group returned from a successful deployment to the Al Anbar Province. MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (February 15, 2008) – Families and friends gathered at Goettge Field House, here, to celebrate the return of their Marines and Sailors. The 2nd Marine Logistics Group returned from a successful deployment to the Al Anbar Province. MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (February 15, 2008) – Families and friends gathered...

**EXCERPT** WASHINGTON (CNN) — Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who almost always refuses to speak on the campaign trail about his son serving in the military, got a rousing reception Wednesday when he told a private gathering of House Republican congressman that his son Jimmy — whose Marine unit had been deployed to Iraq — had arrived home from safely. According to three GOP sources present at the closed meeting of the House Republican Conference, the Arizona senator said that when his son first arrived in the country, he reported seeing IEDs everywhere — but when he recently left, some...

So my friend 1st Lt. Brett is coming back from Iraq after a tour with the {OPSEC] Division. What do we do and where do we take him in So. Cal. to let him know how happy we are that he's back in the world and safe. And that we appreciate his time in the sandbox. It's got to be legal and fun.

It was a homecoming to cherish for Chief Warrant Officer 3 John Allen. The Apache helicopter pilot spent a year in Afghanistan before returning home on Saturday night to the Pinal Air Park. While Allen was away, friends and family refurbished his 1964 Plymouth Belvedere. Dozens of friends and family were on hand at his arrival Saturday night to surprise him with the car. Allen stared in disbelief before cracking a smile and embracing his family. He said, "I was very excited to be home. This here is just over the top, unbelievable!" Allen's friends came up with the idea...

FORT HUACHUCA — Forty-three soldiers making up the 518th Signal Company returned to Fort Huachuca arriving at Libby Army Airfield at 7:15 a.m. Monday and then they were bused to a ceremony at Murr Recreation Center, where they were reunited with their families and friends. During their 15-month deployment, they performed missions in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. The 518th is a Tactical Installation Network company, which essentially means they install the critical infrastructure for tactical networks where none existed before. This platoon element is stationed in Fort Huachuca. Its parent unit is located in Fort Gordon, Ga. The guest speaker...

COLEMAN – Nothing could dampen this small town's patriotic spirit as residents waited outside in the cold for one of their own to return from Iraq.     Spc. Mikhael Sentz, 21, returned home to a hero's welcome Saturday afternoon. He recently served 15 months in Iraq with the 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Carson, Colo.     "I think it's an appropriate way to show we're thankful," said Deborah Bishop.     "I thought I'd come out because I support the troops," said Garrison Baldwin.     Bishop and Baldwin were standing with a small group in front of the VFW Post 1071. Pockets of people...

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Seaman 1st Class General P. Douglas, U.S. Navy, of Newcomb, Tenn. He will be buried Jan. 26 in Sneedville, Tenn. On July 6, 1943, the light cruiser “USS Helena”was struck by torpedoes fired by Japanese destroyers off the coast of Kolombangara Island, Solomon Islands, in what would become known as the Battle of the Kula Gulf. More than 700 servicemen...

Saturday was another special day at Fort Carson as about a hundred more soldiers were welcomed home from Iraq. The soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team have been deployed since October of last year. For some a lot has changed at home while they've been gone.They march in side by side, in front of their favorite fans. 125 brave war heroes who left their loved ones to fight for our freedom are finally home."It's been pretty hard at times," said Alison Miller.She has spent the last nine months as a single mom. "My husband came home two days before...

There's no place like home for the holidays, especially if you've been in Iraq for more than a year. The home had those unmistakable ornaments: a yellow ribbon tied around the old oak tree, some red, white and blue mylar balloons, and "Welcome Home SP 4 Alex, a Hero." The Christmas decorations were up and Army Spc. Alex Prieto was glad to be home for the holidays, a three-week leave and quality time to spend with his Vietnam veteran father Francisco Prieto, his mother Maria, his sister Christina and a couple of cousins. He looked relaxed enough, sitting at the...

FORT HOOD -- The last 12 hours of 15 months is a very long time. "I have not slept," said Dianne Hunt, whose eyes welled up at the slightest provocation and who was prone to jumping up and down in anticipation. "My heart is just a-goin'!" All over the parade field in front of the 1st Cavalry Division headquarters, wives and moms, girlfriends and grade-schoolers proved that sometimes the best Christmas gifts don't require a minute's shopping. Sometimes the Army delivers the gifts home, just in time. "The kids are so excited," said Sarah Rogers, who confessed to her own...

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 18, 2007 – Army National Guard Spc. Michael Lucas received an extra-special homecoming during his mid-tour leave from Iraq recently when he and his family discovered they had been selected for a total home renovation, courtesy of the ABC reality television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" host Ty Pennington joins the family of Virginia National Guardsman Spc. Michael Lucas in cheering "Move that bus!" allowing the family their first glimpse of their totally renovated home in Rice, Va., Dec. 10, 2007. Lucas is currently deployed to Iraq with Company C, 3rd Battalion,...