2nd BCT happy to arrive home

[unhappycamper]

With his son, Jonathan, 7, on his shoulders, and his daughter, Deanna, 10, by his side, Staff Sgt. John Garcia, of Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, was all smiles during a redeployment ceremony at Finney Fitness Facility on Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany.


2nd BCT happy to arrive home
By Mark St.Clair, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, November 21, 2007

SCHWEINFURT, Germany — Finney Fitness Facility was crackling with excitement Tuesday as more than 800 members of Schweinfurt’s Dagger Brigade returned home from Iraq.

With the 300 who arrived Monday — and the same number due Wednesday — 1,400 troops will have returned in 36 hours, leaving fewer than 300 soldiers of the thousands who deployed last year still far from home.

“And they’re all in Kuwait loading equipment,” Lt. Col. Robert Whittle said of the remaining Dagger soldiers, adding with a smile: “They’ll definitely be home by Christmas.”

As commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team’s rear detachment, Whittle and his staff have been overseeing the numerous redeployments of the past few weeks.

Along with the scores of soldiers from units such as 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery and the 299th Forward Support Battalion, Tuesday’s group included the brigade’s commander, Col. J.B. Burton.

Marching at the head of a 270-man formation, Burton looked tired, but proud of the tough job he and his soldiers did.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=50411