Emotional homecoming for Ill. National Guard soldiers back from Iraq

Emotional homecoming for Ill. National Guard soldiers

Ravi Baichwal

September 16, 2011 (RIVERSIDE, Ill.) (WLS) -- A group of National Guard soldiers returned home Friday after a year of duty in Iraq and Kuwait.

For members of the 1244th Transportation Company, Friday was the day they dreamed of as they spent the past year transporting soldiers and cargo -- 170 million pounds worth -- from southern Iraq to their base in Kuwait. They did it with no casualties.

The gratitude the soldiers displayed to be back on American soil was powerful.

Specialist Jamie Rochelle was reunited with her only son.

"I am so blessed. I want to thank everyone for being here," she said in tears.

Sgt. Rochelle was one of the 100 soldiers to whom family members and friends expressed gratitude for serving the nation so ably in a dusty war zone, helping to get American and British troops out of Iraq, as combat gave way to troop drawdown. The 1244th completed 220 convoy missions covering 3.8 million miles.
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