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Charlie Co. to arrive home Sept. 14-18 |
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Written by Publisher
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Friday, 04 September 2009 |
Photo by Amy Cherry
Blake Taylor, 5, of Port Allegany makes a sign to welcome home his uncle Sgt. Brandon Howard who are expected to return to the area Sept. 14-18 with other members of Charlie Co. The soldiers are scheduled to arrive at the PA National Guard Team Readiness Center in Bradford.
By Amy Cherry
Staff Writer
BRADFORD – Soldiers of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team Charlie Company are expected to arrive home between Sept. 14-18, according to Staff Sgt. Kevin Baer.
Baer made the announcement Thursday evening during a Family Readiness Group (FRG) meeting held at The Pennsylvania Army National Guard Team Readiness Center in Bradford.
“Most of our soldiers are in Baghdad or Kuwait right now,” Baer said. “Approximately 15 soldiers will remain in Iraq to complete vehicle maintenance and cleanup.”
He added that 145 Stryker soldiers are expected to arrive in Ft. Dix on Sept. 7. Of those, 61 will be venturing back to the area. The remaining soldiers have chosen to be picked up at Fort Dix or return to an armory closer to their hometowns, such is the case of those from Erie and Pittsburgh.
According to Baer, once soldiers arrive in Ft. Dix the armory and family members will only receive a three day notice with their exact return date.
Area soldiers will likely arrive on two coach buses which will be escorted throughout the area. An escort convoy will meet up with the buses at The Summit Motel in Ridgway.
Units participating in the Ridgway convoy include fire departments from Kersey, Ridgway, Johnsonburg, Elk County Sheriff, Pennsylvania State Police, Patriot Guard, Freedom Riders and PA Wanderers.
Additional units will join the convoy once it reaches the McKean County line.
Pierce explained the convoy will likely travel through Ridgway, Johnsonburg, Mt. Jewett and Smethport which is the back way to the new armory.
Pierce encouraged residents to put up signs wherever they live as soldiers will be returning to homes throughout the area.
The new center is home to 110 soldiers of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team and is located off the Bradford Regional Airport access road. The center replaces the former Bradford and Ridgway armories.
“Once the buses arrive I am under strict orders to have the soldiers out of here within 30 minutes,” Baer said.
Soldiers and their families will congregate inside the center’s gymnasium for a blessing and dismissal. Baer said that rather than placing the soldiers in a formation during the ceremony, he plans to allow them to stay with their families. There will be seating for 300 at the armory.
A final meeting of the FRG is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Bradford armory. The meeting is open to the public, families and any organizations interested in welcoming home the soldiers.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 20 October 2009 )
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