FORT DRUM - There was little in the way of pomp and circumstance, or off color idioms, today at the Magrath Gymnasium on Fort Drum. The band played and the Chaplain gave thanks for the safe return of the Division Headquarters and Division Special Troops Battalion. A few short words were spoken, detailing the movement of the troops and their accomplishments overseas, which included moving from areas such as Karbala, Najaf, Babil, Maysan, Dhi Qar, Muthana, Qadisiyah, Wasit and the Basra province. While working all over central and southern portions of Iraq the division's mission was to secure the safety of Iraqi people, develop governance and economic capacity while training Iraqi Security Forces, the description of that mission detailed how the unit constructed schools and other facilities important to the development of social infrastructure, and were generally credited for their achievements and maintaining conduct befitting a member of Army and the 10^th Mountain Division, as well as how their work aided the whole of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The duration of the service was clearly carefully designed to credit the troops with their work and service to their country, while not forgetting what it meant for the men and women to be reunited with their friends and family. The family, some of which had been waiting in the gymnasium for several hours, spent their time watching two screens erected so they might see their loved ones arrive on the airfield and leave the plane. During this time other men and women paced quickly from one point or another, greeted families of friends and proudly wore their uniforms to greet their fellow troops. The families, anxiously awaiting to fill that void so present in the year prior, were buzzing, many standing or pacing. Tiffany Johnson, wife of Staff Sergeant William Johnson, waited with her three children, for his return. She was ready to see her husband, saying “[I'm] happy that he's home... and ready to pick up where we left off and move on.” Her three children sat dutifully by her side and continually glanced around, holding balloons and looking very excited.

The gym slowly began to crowd as more troops and families filed past the welcome table. The band played and a sense of purpose lined the anticipation. Moments later the troops marched, in formation, into the gymnasium as the crowd, naturally, went wild. Names were yelled. “I see Jason!” “I see mom!” Tears were open on many of the faces thankful to see their particular loved one. Then came the brief words, the 10^th Mountain Division song, and the National Anthem. Even when command officially released the troops the conduct at first remained reserved, the troops welcoming each other home while beelining to family members. As the two crowds mingled one couldn't help but notice that the trauma's or longing for home the troops may have suffered were forgotten in that moment. As mothers, fathers, wives, husbands and children met for the first time since they were deployed a year ago, you could see that the camaraderie built overseas was not lost as spouses met new friends and the arriving troops congratulated each other on the safe return. Johnathan Younker greeted his wife, Samara, and children, surrounding himself with them. As his wife of two years, Samara, had said prior to his entrance, he was excited to see his children, two and barely one when he left, a year older. Younker claimed that “things are really calming down” in the areas where he and his fellow troops were deployed.

Troops filed out slowly from the gymnasium, somber in leaving their fellows in arms even with their families present, indicative that the fellowship made while serving together was not taken lightly. The weather paid tribute, as well, with one of the first sunny, warm—for a North Country March—days. Friends lingered among their cars, yelling gleefully to one another across the parking lot, while cars full of families drove away slowly. It was nearly twenty minutes before cars really started to move out, and even then people yet lingered.

The Division Headquarters will continue deployment of its' one thousand troops through until May 20^th, 2009, when an official ceremony of Transfer of Authority will be held in Basra, Iraq, with the 34^th Infantry Division. This year-long deployment of Division Headquarter and Division Special Troops was the first in Iraq, before which they were deployed in Afghanistan from 2003-2004 and 2006-2007.