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A small, sweet homecoming

Aug-17-2005 » Filed Under: 1/25 SBCT

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MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune

They call it the torch party – a small group to go ahead and light the way for others to follow – and Tuesday it touched down at Fort Lewis.

Sixty-two Stryker soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division arrived home from Iraq to begin making way for the rest of their 4,000 comrades over the next several weeks.

Their first arrival is no insurance against the prospect that the brigade might be held over to provide security for Iraq’s national election in October.

But, “it’s one step closer to getting everybody else back,” Maj. Nicholas Mullen, the brigade’s rear detachment commander, said at Tuesday’s buoyant welcome-home ceremony.

“The light is definitely on at the end of the tunnel,” Mullen said. “The Lancer Brigade has done such a great job, and we’re leaving Mosul a safer place than it was when we got there.”

About 200 spouses, kids, soldiers and other well-wishers were on hand at Wilson Gym for the advance party’s return. A second group of about 60 soldiers is due in today.

The first wave initially was scheduled to arrive Sunday night, then early Wednesday, then Tuesday night, and finally, Tuesday afternoon.


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