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First Stryker soldiers return

Oct- 6-2004 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

[Link to Full Article]

MICHAEL GILBERT The News Tribune

It was Lt. Ricky Vittitow’s job to deliver the good news, and then the bad news.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the plane has landed,” he announced to the crowd assembled late Tuesday to greet the first 130 or so soldiers to return home after a year in Iraq with the Army’s first Stryker brigade.

And then a few minutes later came word that the 130 or so soldiers would have to go through a customs inspection at McChord Air Force Base, a process that could take another couple hours. But after a year apart – minus a couple weeks of R&R in there somewhere – what’s another two hours?

They arrived about 10:10 p.m. and entered to the strains of “When The Saints Go Marching In.” After a few short minutes standing in formation they were turned loose to reunite with their families.[...]

The group that returned Tuesday is an advance party in reverse – they’ll spend the next couple weeks working with officials at Fort Lewis to prepare the post for the return of the rest of the 4,000-soldier 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

A big public welcome home ceremony is scheduled for mid-November. So are barbecues and parties and probably countless other events to make up for missed birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions – such as Tevin King’s first steps.

Debbie Bridges went to the reunion to be with a friend whose husband was returning, even though hers will not.

Staff Sgt. Steven Bridges was among the first three Stryker soldiers to be killed in Iraq, when their vehicles rolled over into a canal Dec. 8 near Duluiyah.

She and her kids have decided to stay in the Puget Sound area and she’s looking forward to welcoming the soldiers from her husband’s squad. She was the unofficial squad mom, hosting get-togethers when the brigade was training for the deployment.

Their return will help, she thinks. “This is kind of final for me,” Bridges said, “because everybody’s coming home, and Steve’s not.”

And her daughter, Dawn Mitchell, will soon be seeing off her husband, Sgt. Sampson Mitchell, who is heading to Iraq with the second Stryker outfit, the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division from Fort Lewis.

Julie Rounds, wife of 3rd Brigade commander Col. Mike Rounds, said the Stryker families are all doing their best to get through these final days.

It hasn’t been easy. The brigade lost two soldiers killed in action this month. Seven more were wounded in car bombings Saturday and Tuesday, though none seriously, according to the brigade.

“The families have done an incredible job throughout this deployment,” Rounds said. “They should be really proud – as proud as the soldiers.” Michael Gilbert: 253-597-8921


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