9 years later, Iraq veteran gets welcome home

9 years later, Iraq veteran gets welcome home
By Stephanie Loder - The (Vineland, N.J.) Daily Journal
Posted : Friday Dec 28, 2012

Former Army Sgt. Wayne U. Games returned from Iraq in 2003, but never got a welcome home celebration.

A 1987 graduate of Vineland High School, Games became seriously ill during his deployment and had to be flown directly to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He was admitted to the intensive care unit suffering from high blood pressure, heart and lung problems, and had to be placed on dialysis.

Games, 42, has been classified as 90 percent disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Most recently, he was diagnosed with Waldenstrom lymphoma.

“I never got a homecoming. I just remember getting sick, being flown to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, then to the United States. It took two days and when we got to Walter Reed it was nighttime and we were met by veterans who handed us some bags,” said Games. “That was my homecoming.”

On Dec. 16, Games received a much more appropriate welcome home and thank you from family, friends and officials who arrived at his Myrtle Street home.

The event was initiated by the “Welcome Home Committee” formed by Mayor Robert Romano to welcome back every soldier. The event was attended by Romano, as well as state Sen. Jeff Van Drew and state assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam. read more here