This past week about 80 Iowa Guard soldiers who had been deployed to Iraq returned home to a heroes welcome in the Washington High School gymnasium.
Members of the Iowa Guard’s 134th Medical Company transported and treated injured soldiers in Iraq. They left home in August of 2005 and returned this past Wednesday.
Five-year-old Madeleine had big plans for her dad, Sergeant Jim Brown. “Hug him a lot and kiss him a lot,” she said.
Her older brother, eight-year-old Jonathan, had plans, too. “We were going to build a Lego city…but he got deployed and we didn’t get to do it so we’re going to be able to build a Lego city,” the young Brown said.
The kids’ dad was gone for 14 months, one week and two days, and his young daughter told reporters what her dad’s mission had been. “To make the world safe from danger,” she said.
Sergeant Brown was ready to going back to daddy duty. “We’re just going to take it kind of a little bit slow at first and plan a vacation later on this year,” Sergeant Brown said.
Brown’s daughter turns six soon, and he’ll be able to attend her birthday party. He’s missed his daugther’s last two birthdays because of his guard duty.