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Soldiers home for the holidays

Dec-21-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

By Eric Schwartzberg and Denise Wilson, Middletown Journal

LIBERTY TWP. — When Army Spc. Patrick Heitfeld arrived at his Squaw Valley Drive home on Wednesday evening after an 18-month tour — 16 of which were spent in Iraq — he was looking forward to a good night's sleep on his own waterbed.

"It's a lot better than the old, rusty spring bed," Heitfeld said of his sleeping arrangements in the Army.

Hours after the 2001 Lakota West High School graduate flew in from Alaska, he was relaxing on the living room couch surrounded by family and his grandmother's 12-year-old, long-haired Dachshund, Rudy.

The 24-year-old said he has no immediate plans other than to spend a lot of time with family and friends.

"Just getting back to normal things," he said while sipping on a beer shortly after taking in his favorite Skyline Chili, which he visited after landing at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport, where more than a dozen relatives greeted him.

Besides "bumming out" around the house, Heitfeld said he also plans to cheer on the Cincinnati Bengals and catch a couple of new holiday movies like the new Sylvester Stallone flick "Rocky Balboa" and the James Bond film "Casino Royale."

He said he also plans to stay in shape while on leave by running and playing a little basketball, and stocking up on some new music for his iPod.

Heitfeld said he's just happy to be home.


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