Last Campbell soldiers in Iraq return home - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Last Campbell soldiers in Iraq return home

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — The Iraq War began for the 101st Airborne Division on March 21, 2003. It ended for the division Thursday when a Ryan Air charter flight touched down at Campbell Army Airfield shortly after 4 p.m., bringing the last 140 Screaming Eagles in Iraq home in time for Christmas.

For 101st Airborne Division Commander Maj. Gen. James C. McConville, the special nature of this return did not pass unnoticed.

“I normally don’t talk long up here,” McConville said from the raised platform at Hangar 3, “knowing I’m the only thing standing between a reunion of you and your loved ones.

“However, today is a noteworthy day; the return of the last combat troops from Iraq.”

McConville also reminded the crowd packed into Hangar 3 that Dec. 22 was already a key date in division history. It was on that date 67 years ago in 1944 that the division stood strong at a place called Bastogne and another division commander named McAuliffe issued a one word reply to the Germans demanding the division’s surrender — “Nuts!”

“They never quit,” McConville said, “just like the soldiers before you.”

Today, I ask you to remember the 204 Screaming Eagles that gave all in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, and to remember those wounded soldiers and Gold Star families and all who paid the price for Iraq to have freedom.”

The returning troops represented three company-sized units of the 101st Sustainment Brigade “Lifeliners” — the 511th Engineers, 305th Quartermasters and 372nd Transportation Companies — who marched in under the flag of the 326th Engineer Battalion.

Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. David Thompson considered it an honor that Lifeliner troops were the last Screaming Eagles out of Iraq, saying it gave him a chance to point out once again the special role of the unit in the War On Terror.

“You know,” he said, “we’ve stated for years that every day there’s a Lifeliner in the fight, and it’s been true since we began this fight following 9/11.

“We still have a lot of soldiers in Afghanistan that are part of the brigade, and we’re preparing for our next ‘Rendezvous with Destiny,’ our next deployment to Afghanistan.”

Sustainment Brigade Commander Col. Michael Peterman was glad to get his troops home and expressed his pride at accomplishing a big job: recovering a huge amount of U.S. combat assets and getting home just months after President Obama ordered an end to the American presence in Iraq.

No one was prouder or happier however than the families of the returning soldiers, many of whom admitted they had some doubts about their soldiers returning home in time for Christmas.

Many only received confirmation within the last few weeks or days.

“I found out two weeks ago,” said Devon Tilghman, wife of Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Tilghman. “He called me himself.”

Like nearly every other family at Hangar 3, the Tilghmans were planning on foregoing any elaborate plans and keeping it simple for this Christmas.

“It’s just going to be us,” Devon said. “Oh my goodness, that’s all I wanted. That was it.”

Some parents kept the news a secret until the last possible moment to ensure that the children would get a Christmas surprise they would always remember.

Charletta Soward was one such parent. Michael Soward, 7, son of returning Spc. Michael Soward of the 511th Engineers, said he and his siblings didn’t find out until that morning.

Hope Moser of Jacksonville, Ala., went even further, keeping the news of their father’s return from grandchildren Jason Van Horne, 5, and his sister, Stephanie Alexis, 4, even as they sat waiting in Hangar 3.

“I just told them this morning we were going on an adventure with a big surprise at the end,” she laughed.

Elisa Kinsman, wife of returning Lt. Col. Pat Kinsman, commander of the 326th Engineer Battalion, summed up the meaning of the day for all involved.

“This is one of life’s greatest blessings,” she said as her husband was busy getting reacquainted with their three children following the brief welcome ceremony.

“On the scale of Christmas presents, this is the ultimate. Money can’t buy this. This is the absolute.”