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Soldiers and families rejoin, rejoice at Fort Lewis

Sep-24-2005 » Filed Under: 1/25 SBCT

Link to Full Article (Updated w/ photos)
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune

Nearly 300 Stryker soldiers got a loud, joyous welcome home Friday afternoon at Fort Lewis as the first waves of troops from the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division returned from their year in Iraq.

By late Friday – when two more flights were due – more than 1,000 of the Lancer Brigade’s 4,200 soldiers were expected to have made it home. The rest will arrive daily through next weekend.

More than 700 family members and friends crowded into Soldiers Fieldhouse for Friday’s midday return. Maj. Andy Allen, a staff officer-turned-emcee, did his best to whip up the excitement – not that anybody needed much help.

“I can’t sit down, I’m so excited,” said Liz Zamora of Tacoma, waiting for her husband, Sgt. Jorge Zamora. “I’ve been doing laps around the house. … It’s taking forever.”

Allen revved ’em up anyway.

“We’ve got 291 soldiers that spent a year in Iraq!” Allen said.

“Wheee!” screamed the crowd.

“Now, we’ve had some loud reunions, but this one has to be the loudest,” Allen said.

“Wheee!” screamed the crowd.

Allen quickly ran through the instructions. The troops will march in, they’ll stand in formation for a minute or two while a top Fort Lewis officer says a few words. Then they’ll be dismissed.

“That word – dismissed – is your key,” Allen said. “Do not trample the little children! Do not trample your soldier – they have made it this far! And if you do, we’ve got the media here, so you’re going to see it on the 10 o’clock news!”...


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