76th Soldiers Convoy Towards Home

By Spc. William E. Henry

Indiana National Guard Spc. Jeremiah Butler, an Indianapolis resident with Company B, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry holds his son Maddox as he squeezes his father's nose at a reception ceremony at Stout Field in Indianapolis Tuesday, November 25, 2008 after more than nine months in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Butler along with nearly 300 Hoosier Soldiers returned before sunrise at Indianapolis International Airport.

INDIANAPOLIS - Nearly 300 Indiana National Guard Soldiers of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived at Indianapolis International Airport at around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008.

Soldiers rode buses to Stout Field where family and friends were waiting to greet them with cheers, hugs and love, some for the first time in more than nine months.

The returning Soldiers were with Company A, 113th Support Battalion; Companies B and C, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 76th IBCT and Company B, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry.

Indiana National Guard Staff Sgt. Stephen Gilland, of New Lebanon, Ohio kisses his daughter, Bree, at a reception ceremony held at Stout Field in Indianapolis Tuesday, November 25, 2008 after more than nine months in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Gilland returned to Indiana along with nearly 300 76th Brigade Soldiers before sunrise at Indianapolis International Airport.

"I feel I made an impact. I feel I served my country and did my job well, I'm just glad to be home," said Danville resident Spc. Ronald Mitchell, Company A, 113th Support Battalion.

While in Iraq Company A 113th Soldiers were headquartered at Joint Base Balad and were part of more than 130 missions traveling 40,000 miles across Iraq in direct support of operating bases throughout the theater.

Soldiers with Company B, 1-293rd were first headquartered at Joint Base Balad and then moved to Victory Base in Baghdad later in the deployment. They conducted more than 200 missions with more than 20 enemy engagements.

Indiana National Guard Spc. Charles Deas, a Richmond resident with Company A, 113th Support Battalion smiles with his four-month-old daughter Andrea at a reception ceremony at Stout Field in Indianapolis Tuesday, November 25, 2008 after more than nine months in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Company A, 113th Support Battalion, Companies B and C, 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 76th IBCT and Company B, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Soldiers returned before sunrise at Indianapolis International Airport.

"It was a personal growth experience. It was one of the things I wanted to do personally in my life and accomplish," said Fort Wayne resident Staff Sgt. Christopher Birts, Company B, 1-293rd Infantry..

Indiana National Guard Soldiers with 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team march into a hangar at Stout Field in Indianapolis Tuesday, November 25, 2008 for a reception ceremony after more than nine months in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"We were able to keep supplies moving throughout the country. Hopefully we will be able to turn the bases over to the Iraqis over the next few years," said Fort Wayne resident Spc. Winston Bradfield, Company B, 1-293rd Infantry. "I think we did great things for Iraq."

The returning Soldiers will be released to go home after spending the next few days attending briefings and completing their active-duty mission at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center.