Tuesday, 10/25/05

'God has blessed us and got us home to the family'

By LEON ALIGOOD
Staff Writer

CAMP SHELBY, Miss. — Star Smith of Ashland City heard the diesel growl of the sleek chartered buses before they rolled into view.

"Here they come," she said.

Sure enough, her ears did not deceive. In a moment, the dark-tinted windows of the first bus appeared at the crest of a hill leading onto this National Guard camp deep in the piney woods of southern Mississippi.

On the buses were 150 jet-lagged, war weary, homebound soldiers of the 278th Regimental Combat Team. It was the first of many large groups to arrive as the unit's 4,000 Guardsmen return home after a year's duty in Iraq.

Among the soldiers behind the dark windows was 1st Sgt. Dale Smith, whose wife had been waiting anxiously at the spot for several hours.

"Grab the sign,'' she said to her son, Patrick, 13, referring to a homemade sign reading: "Welcome home Daddy — we missed you." Star Smith was giddy, jumping up and down with Grace, her rosy-cheeked angel with shoulder-length, white-blonde hair.

"Girls, come here," she said, motioning for her daughters, Jada, 7, and Grace, 5, to stand by the sign.

The buses drove through the gravel parking lot where the Smiths and families of other soldiers held signs and American flags.

"Wave,'' she said emphatically — as if the kids needed to be told.

Minutes later, as the soldiers stepped off the buses, Star Smith grabbed her husband in a bear hug. He reciprocated, followed by extended hugs for his daughters and son who latched on, too.

"It's just fabulous, it's wonderful to be here. God has blessed us and got us home to the family,'' the first sergeant said.

Similar reunions happened all around the happy family.

Maj. Mark Zumbro of Mt. Juliet held his 18-month-old son Jake in his arms while his wife, Kayla, watched with a wide smile. The toddler was born a week before Zumbro was deployed for about five months of pre-Iraq training in June 2004.

"I had seven days with him before I had to leave," he said, holding the chubby-cheeked youngster, who smiled and gurgled.

"I'm not sure that he fully understands about who I am just yet,'' said Zumbro, who works as a terminal manager for a Nashville-area shipping company when he's not wearing Guard-issued desert camouflage.

"It's been a long 18 months that we've been gone. I'm ready to get back into the routine of life. My wife and I were able to have pretty regular phone conversations, but it's not the same as being there."

The Zumbros have another son, Jason, 16, a student at Wilson Central High School, which is headed for the state football playoffs. "I've been hoping that I'll get to see them play in a game. I've been keeping up with them over there. They have a great team,'' the major said.

1st Lt. David Andrews of Athens also held his young son, David Jr., but he frequently pulled his wife, Mary, over for a kiss.

"It's been 11 and a half months for me, without a break. I didn't come home on leave, so I'm glad to be here," he said.

"It's the first time we've seen each other since he left for Iraq. I am just so excited to have him back. I don't ever want to let him go,'' his wife added.

Many soldiers, however, did not have family waiting for them to step off the bus. Because of the recent hurricanes, many hotels in the area remain fully booked with evacuees and utility repair crews.

Staff Sgt. Bobby Greer of Clarksville was one of those.

"I'll see everybody soon enough, but I will be glad to see my kids. I had two weeks off back in August, so I got to see everybody then. So I'm OK, but I can't wait until I can kick back and relax a little bit,'' said Greer, whose non-military employment is at the Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corp. plant in Smyrna.

"It's been an extremely long time. I'm happy to be getting closer to home,'' the sergeant said.

Unfortunately, he noted, not all who left with the 278th will be returning. Ten members of the unit died in Iraq, eight from hostile action, one from a traffic accident and one from natural causes.

"I knew one of the guys real well. I wish he were coming back with us, but it just wasn't meant to be."

Maj. John Mark Windle also came back yesterday. The major, who on Capitol Hill is known as state Rep. John Mark Windle, said he was "deliriously happy" to be back in the United States and just weeks from returning to his Upper Cumberland Plateau home.

Windle, who was knocked unconscious last March during a mortar attack on a dining hall tent, said he was ready to shed war duty for legislative work.

"This has been rewarding work, but I'm anxious to get back to helping my district," he said. "I hear a few things have gone on in the legislature since I left."

First Sgt. Dale Smith hugs daughters Jada, left, and Grace upon his arrival at Camp Shelby, Miss. Smith was among the first members of the Tennessee National Guard's 278th Regimental Combat Team to get back to the United States after a yearlong deployment in Iraq. (JOHN PARTIPILO / STAFF)

Capt. Arthur Richards of Knox- ville gets a kiss from his wife, Heather, upon his homecoming. (JOHN PARTIPILO / STAFF)

Staff Sgt. Bobby Greer of Clarksville didn't have any relatives waiting to greet him yesterday since many motel rooms were taken by workers and evacuees after recent hurricanes. He had been home in August, though, and said, "I'll see everybody soon enough, but I will be glad to see my kids." (JOHN PARTIPILO / STAFF)

Story Copyright to Tennessean.Com