76th Soldiers convoy towards home

Photo By Staff Sgt. William Henry | 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, Nov. 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.  

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, UNITED STATES

11.25.2008

Story by Spc. William Henry 

Indiana National Guard Headquarters

By Spc. William E. Henry
Indiana Army National Guard

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.

"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.

"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..

"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.

• Date Taken: 11.25.2008
• Date Posted: 11.25.2008 17:36
• Story ID: 26798
• Location: INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US