After six months away from his family, Aberdeen Proving Ground soldier Johnathan Sutton, 21, is eager to get home to Virginia Beach to see his 2-year-old daughter and pregnant wife.
“I?ve got roses ready to go,” said Sutton, a smile creeping across his face as he held up the red flowers. “I?m very excited to get home and see them.”
Sutton was one of some 4,000 uniformed soldiers who embarked on a homebound exodus from Aberdeen Proving Ground and Virginia?s Fort Lee through Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport early Sunday.
The soldiers were sent off by United Service Organizations volunteers who provided complimentary food, and, with the help of Verizon, free phone calls home ? plus baggage space and sleeping facilities for those who wanted to catch a few winks during the hours they waited for their flights.
“It?s good getting to send them a little holiday cheer,” said USO volunteer Pat Hollenbeck, of Woodlawn, who staffed the USO lounge at the airport. “I just love the soldiers. It?s our way of saying that we support the troops.”
Daniel Fienco, 26, who was headed from Aberdeen back to his home in Connecticut, said serving in the military is his way of paying respect to his country.
“This country has given me a lot, and it?s my way of saying thanks,” he said, adding that a trip home has been a “long time coming.”
Zack Crites, 18, stationed at Fort Lee, was en route back to his home of Corpus Christi, Texas.
“My parents were both in the military and my grandfather, too,” he said. “I?m ready to get back and see my family.”
