One of the recent events to which Michael and I went was the homecoming celebration of the 216th Engineering Battalion, an Army National Guard unit returning from a deployment to Afghanistan. They were gone for 338 days, as one family member’s sign indicated. This was a unit of which our organization, Gold Star Dads of America, sponsored 10 families for Christmas.

This was a joyous occasion. The extended families and supporters of those soldiers deployed came out to Los Alamitos in full force to welcome these heroes home. I wanted to feel their joy and happiness. It was a great thing to witness. (more…)