Local Soldiers Welcomed Back

With the band playing 23 soldiers march into a room full of support.  Family and friends fill the VFW building watching as they receive honorary flags for their service.  This was Harold Jackson's first tour.

As he shakes hands, and accepts an honorary he thinks back on when he left one year ago.

"The hardest part was leaving my family," he says.

Last year this reserve unit was part of the first surge to help troops in Iraq.  The transportation company help troops with supplies.  But as while they've been gone, the fight overseas has gotten harder, making the wait for families like Sheila Jackson and her son harder.

She says, "it feels great you know there were nights where i cried because i missed him but in the end it was all worth it."

As the U.S beefed up american forces in Iraq, bombings there got worse. Now many of the same violence continues in Afghanistan where the death toll of American soldiers has risen to record highs.

Harold Jackson says, "You know it touches your heart it bothers you because they dont get to go home and see their families but you gotta press on."

In July, 44 soldiers died in Afghanistan. August has already hit 43.

Congressman Zach Wamp attended today's ceremony.  Wamp says the the violence shows troop strength needs to increase in order to fight the Taliban and win.

"Really you can't come home until you win so sometimes you have to go through a tougher time to prevail," he says.

But for now for the families in this room those tough times are on hold, and they are enjoying being together again.

Quadarius Cox says, "I'm really happy that he's back."