Heroes welcomed home

(Photo by Dana Larsen) Dan Johnson's son Tanner grabs his dad's field cap to try on as wife Amanda looks on at the homecoming ceremony. The Webb family was reunited Friday during a ceremony in Storm Lake.

"He'll be on Daddy Duty for a while," says Amanda Johnson of Webb with a smile.

Johnson has been hobbling around on crutches after breaking her foot. Her husband, Sgt. Dan Johnson, who was part of the "Task Force Thunder" Iowa National Guard group that returned to Storm Lake Friday after a year's deployment as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in volatile Kosovo, is just glad to be home. "It's all about the family," he says.

He was reunited with his wife and two small children, Jasmine, 5 and Tanner 2. "They latched on - big hugs - really latched on and didn't let go for a while," Dan says.

"It's just a pure joy," adds Amanda.

A brief ceremony was held at the Storm Lake Middle School, as law enforcement officers and Patriot Guard motorcycles escorted their bus in. A packed crowd was on hand to join in the welcome. Major General Steven D. Saunders, a native of Spencer, was there to offer his thanks for the sacrifices of the soldiers and their families, just as he was there to see them off in July 2007.

It was the families left behind, to deal with birthdays and ballgames without sons and daddies, who made it possible for the men of Task Force Thunder to log a million miles in maintaining security in Kosovo.

The citizen soldiers are literally "bringing a country to life," the general said. "You have one more mission - reunion," he said, urging the men and their families to be understanding of one another as they readjust after a year's absence.

Friends, relatives, employers, spouses and children - along with many who just came out to show their respects - filled the bleachers and spilled out onto the gym floor as soon as the soldiers broke ranks.

Their were tear-filled hugs and children hoisted to shoulders. Each soldier carried a red rose for their wife, girlfriend or mother. Waiting in the hallway before the ceremony began the soldiers were eager to see their families and friends again. "Good to be home," says Sgt. Brandon Brock of Storm Lake. "I'm ready to see my family, just got a new puppy."

The moment the ceremony was over Spc. Thomas Ricke, of Algona, ran to the bleachers to meet his family.

His children, nieces, nephews, parents swarmed to him to embrace him. He held his daughter Ariel who was born while he was gone, he says this is the second time he's gotten to see her since she was born. He also got to hold his baby nephew William for the first time.

Ricke says this was the third deployment he's been on and has only been able to be home for the birth of one of his four daughters. Ricke says it's about protecting his family and country. "This is what I do for my family, I want to make sure they're safe," he says. However, he says he's happy to be home. "I'm feeling overjoyed - it's the greatest feeling in the world," he says.

Ricke says the deployment went smoothly. "I got to meet a lot of people I'd never met before," he says. Ricke encourages anyone considering joining the military to go for it. "Do it. Step up to the plate," he says. Ricke's wife Jessica says she's glad to have him home and says she's ready for him to stay home for good. "I've got a great support system (though)," she says.

Judy Molgaard of Alta came to welcome home her friend Sgt. Steve Briner of Newell during the ceremony. "I wish they wouldn't have to go in the first place," she says. "But we'd be in a sorry state if we didn't have them."

Lacey Koster of Fort Dodge, best friend of Spc. Joe Kelm, says she's exited Kelm will get to come to her wedding. "I was happy to see him this soon, didn't think he'd make it to my wedding," she says. Kelm's sister, Christin had also come up from Texas to go to Koster's wedding and found out her brother was coming home. "We didn't think we'd get to see him," she says.

Before the ceremony, two little girls, Sydney Harrold, 7 and Emily Harrold, 3 of Laurens, dressed in their red, white and blue outfits and waving their flags eagerly made their way to the middle school with their mother Brenda to "find daddy." After reuniting, Brenda says she was overwhelmed to see her husband Sgt. Charles Harold again. The couple say they're planning to go on vacation and plan to spend plenty of time together.

"You've served us in a very important mission, protecting our freedom," said Mayor Jon Kruse. "You are indeed American heroes."