Va. National Guard soldiers arrive home to Suffolk

In some ways, it must have felt like the journey home took forever: The trip from Iraq to Kuwait, the long flight back to the United States, a week of transition in Indiana, and a 12-hour bus ride to Hampton Roads.

In another sense, though, the 120 Virginia National Guard soldiers who reunited with their families in Suffolk on Thursday were actually months ahead of schedule. Their orders when they left this spring were for a yearlong mobilization, but with America pulling out of Iraq, their families were soon told they'd almost certainly be home by Christmas.

"It's the best gift," said Sonia Quiles, who was among hundreds of people awaiting the soldiers' return at the Guard's Suffolk armory Thursday morning. Her husband, Fred, is a master sergeant with the unit, the 183rd Cavalry Regiment's 2nd Squadron.

"When they left, we had no idea what to expect," she said. "There were a lot of rumors, but then when Obama made the announcement about the withdrawal, we were pretty sure we wouldn't be waiting a whole year."

Quiles drove three and a half hours from their home in Marshall and "brought the whole crew" to greet her husband: their 12-year-old daughter, Nina, and their three Jack Russell terriers, Gibbs, Bailey and Spike, who wore camouflage bandanas for the occasion. Nina got to take the day off from school.

"She wouldn't have missed this," her mom said.

The soldiers are the first of roughly 825 with the unit who will return before Christmas. Additional companies will come home to Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Portsmouth over the next two weeks. They spent the deployment providing security for convoys that delivered fuel and other supplies across Iraq.

Carol Purkerson, whose husband, Robert, is a full-time guardsman, drove to the armory from Virginia Beach so early that she was embarrassed to say what time. "I'll just say we're excited," she joked before the soldiers arrived. Sitting with her 15-year-old daughter, Alyssa, she tapped out text messages to Robert, who was keeping her apprised of their progress.

"They're getting close," Purkerson said.

A few minutes later, the buses pulled up, and the soldiers, exhausted from the overnight ride, made their way inside. They gathered for formation as they'd been instructed to do, and their troop commander, Capt. Josh Dekeyser, briefly addressed the group, telling the soldiers' families they'd accomplished a lot in the short time they were away.

After a few excruciating minutes, the soldiers were dismissed, and they rushed to reach relatives they'd picked out in the crowd.

Purkerson, with her hands clasped under her chin, scanned for her husband.

She spotted him, smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

Corinne Reilly, (757) 446-2949, corinne.reilly@pilotonline.com