By Neil Hopwood
editor

There's nothing like coming home. Coming home in style is just a cherry on top.

A group of soldiers from the South Carolina Army National Guard's 218th Infantry Brigade out of the Darlington Armory reunited with their families, friends and loved ones this past Thursday in a brief but emotional ceremony at the facility. Most of the troops had shipped out last year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the mission against terrorism based in Afghanistan.

The group of about 20 soldiers, still dressed in fatigues, made their way by bus from Fort Bragg, NC, picking up a law enforcement/fire protection escort at I-95 and even driving under a water cannon on U.S. Highway 151 as the bus turned into the armory.

Before the ceremony, excited families began gathering outside the armory, eagerly anticipating updates via cell phone about the whereabouts of the bus. A short delay with the bus prolonged the anxiety, but soon the soldiers off-loaded behind the armory and marched inside for a few final comments from National Guard brass and others, such as Warner DeHart of Darlington County Veterans Affairs.

“Welcome home, boys,” yelled Col Brad Owens. “…I know you faced very volatile situations, some uncertain situations, some complex and ambiguous situations. You faced them with courage and you faced them with honor. I am so very proud.”

Owens also thanked the soldiers’ families for their sacrifices as well.
James Crosland of Florence, a medic, operated an evacuation platoon, treating American soldiers, local nationals such as small children and coalition forces. He reunited with his family and tears were shed.

“I'm going to spend every waking moment with my family,” Crosland said of his first day back.

Despite being separated from his family, he thought the troops left Afghanistan more strong, capable and self-sufficient than they were before they came.

“The homecoming we had was remarkable,” said James, who thanked the many local agencies and organizations who contributed to the event. “I take my hat off to all of them. It brings chill bumps thinking about it.”

Earlier, it was a difficult game of sitting and waiting for a bus that never seemed to arrive.

Larry Tanner, 55, of Cades left a job at NAPA Auto Parts for a tour in Afghanistan manning a security tower. He's been over there since this past May.

“The Lord blessed him and kept him safe while he was over there--you hear everything with people getting killed, so you always worry,” his stepson-in-law Mike Stephens said. “It is a big relief to have him coming home.”

Among the family members waiting to see him were his wife Lois, granddaughter Courtney, grandson Wyatt and daughter Ruth.

Lois said he had a soft spot for kids, and that the family and their church had arranged to have care packages sent to help out. Though 55 years old, he wanted to go overseas for what was the first and probably last tour of his life.

“He said that's what he was trained to do and he wanted to do it,” his daughter Ruth said.

Sharod Samuel, 20, of Darlington, spent 18 months overseas in Afghanistan as a mechanic. Things would calm down in the winter but would heat up as the temperatures heated up.

“When he first got over there it was rough, but he got used to it,” his mother Betty said. “To get to his job he had to travel roads where you had to be afraid of the bombers. It was enough to make a parent worry about their child every day.”

His father Ernest said he couldn't be more proud of his son.

“I'm glad he's back here--I'm overwhelmed,” he said. “I wondered what he was going through as a 20-year-old man over there. I don't think I could have gotten through it. I just told him to keep praying.”
Rachel Lowder of Moncks Corner said her stepfather married her mother right before shipping out. The old high school sweethearts reconnected just in time.

“She's following the bus (from Fort Bragg)--she said he's not getting out of her sight,” Lowder said.

Following a wedding with an immediate physical separation was not easy on her mother, she said.

“It's more of the mental and emotional stress, even though they had conversations every day, it's him over there and her over here,” she said.

Rachel's sister, two brothers, grandmother and grandfather also made it to the reunification ceremony.

Among those waiting for the troops were about 12 riders from American Legion Post 178 at Murrells Inlet, who also attended ceremonies for returning troops in Marion, rider Brent Davidson said. The riders routinely attend veterans' events and support the American Legion's legacy fund, which distributes monies to families of troops killed in action.

“It's a way to show the troops we care,” Davidson said. “They need us more than ever right now.”