2 looong years, and my brother is finally coming home!

Hey all: Just a quick December Surgery Date board update! My brother is a combat medic attached through the Iowa National Guard to the Minnesota National Guard's Red Bulls 1st Division, BCT. He has been in Iraq for 2 years, and he is part of the last wave of our local soldiers to fly to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin for demobilization and reintegration at home in Iowa! He should be in Wisconsin today! This was his first job after college, and what an experience it has been for him. For anyone who has a loved one serving in harm's way, there is an unmistakable feeling of relief in knowing that they will soon be back on US soil. I hope we all remember our soldiers serving abroad, as I will. I still have 2 brothers serving in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Please remember our Fallen Heroes, as we lost men from both Minnesota and Iowa in the undertaking of their mission: The 1/34 BCT conducted its Transfer of Authority ceremony with the 1/82 BCT(A) at the Ziggurat of Ur on 11 July 2007, ending another chapter in Red Bull history. During the longest deployment of any unit to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, they drove 2.4 million miles with 99% on time starts; discovered a significant number of IEDs before they could detonate; achieved a 98% vehicle readiness rate; processed 1.5 million vehicles at entry control points without incident; completed $29 million in Iraqi reconstruction (seven water plants, 90 miles of road, numerous schools, and hundreds of miles of roadside cleanup); closed eight redundant radio relay points and improved the remaining three; and provided $55 million in force protection improvements for four bases. 1/34th BCT has earned the Operation Iraqi Freedom Campaign Streamer for its service in Iraq from March 2006 to July 2007. And on a side note, my brother HAS NOT SEEN ME SINCE I HAD SURGERY!!!! He will be coming home to his big sister who is now 110 lbs lighter, and he swears that at my current weight, he can lift me up I can't wait to see him next week! Thanks to everyone for their support.... xoxo, Megan

That is wonderful news and please tell all your brothers thanks for serving.

Megan, Congratulations on getting to see your brother safe and sound next week. What a terribly long time to be worrying about him. I hope that you will be reunited with your two other brothers soon, too. God bless all our military forces and their families. Molly

Megan I am sooo glad he is coming home what an exciting time for you!!!! Give him lots of hugs!!!!!! my hubby can lift me, and for the 1st time in our marriage I weigh less than him.... Have a wonderful time with your brother.....Erin