The first story that my husband told me after he returned home from his deployment to Iraq was about these people in Bangor, Maine, who were waiting for their plane at the airport.
He explained that as he and all the other soldiers disembarked from their plane, these people – strangers — were clapping and cheering for them, waving flags, shaking their hands, patting them on the backs and even hugging them.
These folks were thanking him and his fellow soldiers for their service to our nation, welcoming them back home, stating that they were proud of them and offering words of wisdom for the days ahead. They offered homemade-baked goods and free cell phone calls to anywhere in the United States so that soldiers could let their folks know that they were almost home.
In fact, my husband told me this story on one of those cell phones. He was so thankful to be back in the United States, and never expected such a greeting at their first stateside stop on their way back to Ft. Hood, Texas. He has told me that he will never forget those moments with the people who honored them with such a greeting, the greeting even more meaningful because the people who met them there in the airport were veterans who served before him, as well as spouses of veterans who served before him, and their family members.
Examples of the American People’s caring and kindness abound.
As a single soldier and homeowner, not knowing how long he would be deployed to Afghanistan, left Wayne with a lot of quick planning to complete. Wayne notified his neighbors of his absence and made arrangements with a few close friends to assure that his home, which would stand empty while he was deployed, remained in decent condition and appeared well kept.
Neighbors agreed to call the police if they saw any unlawful activity on Wayne’s property. Friends agreed to check the inside of the house a few times each month to be sure that the pipes hadn’t broken and that the interior window and door locks had not been “jimmied” open.
When Wayne returned home, to his relief, only four months later, he was surprised to see his lawn and bushes so well groomed. After asking around a little, he learned that his neighbor, who was married with three kids and a full-time job, had been mowing and edging his lawn and trimming the shrubs almost every other week!
How could he ever thank his neighbor, a guy with whom he’d only exchanged quick pleasantries, for his generosity?
After a 14-month deployment to Iraq, Greg redeployed to Ft. Hood in the beginning of August 2005. Though Texas was cooler than Iraq, temperatures were not cool enough to be comfortable. Greg spent one night at home with a broken central air conditioning unit and called a maintenance company first thing in the morning. The repairman who came to Greg’s place explained that parts would need to be replaced and that he was looking at a hefty bill.
Greg explained to the repairman that he would pay him double if he could have the unit working by the end of the day. Sensing some kind of desperation, the serviceman inquired about Greg’s situation. Greg didn’t want to complain because he was just glad to be back home, but he told the serviceman that he’d been dreaming about his “AC” while he’d been working in Iraq.
The serviceman made some phone calls in his truck, then returned later that day with parts to service the unit. In the late afternoon, the serviceman finished the job and presented Greg with a bill totaling less than half of his original estimate. When Greg questioned the serviceman, he said, “We’d like to say thanks to you, and welcome home.”
Thousands of American service members have experienced the same kind of welcome my husband and his unit received in Bangor, Maine. Thousands of American service members have experienced the kind gestures and generous efforts of thousands of American civilians in their shared communities. Our nation is full of “communities of excellence,” and it’s the people in our communities, civilians especially, who make it so.
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