With posters in hand, hundreds of family members dashed out of the Cottrell Field stands Friday evening to embrace their soldiers, finally back on Georgia soil.
About 200 members of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team returned to Fort Stewart, completing a nine-month deployment to eastern Europe as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. As the Raider Brigade makes its way home, other 3rd ID units, including its headquarters, Division Artillery and 3rd Aviation Combat Brigade, are heading back to eastern Europe.
“I know you want nothing more to reunite with your families and friends,” 3rd ID commander Brig. Gen. John Lubas said to the formation gathered just in front of the grandstands.
Brig. Gen. Lubas offered his thanks to the Raider Brigade for its work during the deployment.
“You strengthened our relationship with our allies and you made a difference in the security of the Europe,” he said. “You should be incredibly proud.”
For Maj. Peary Cox and his family, his wife Tiffany and young daughter Madison, one of the most overwhelming emotions of the homecoming was relief.
“Excited. Relieved. Glad to be home. It’s a long trip,” said Maj. Cox, who is the executive officer of the 3/69 Armor Battalion. “It’s been a lot of changes, with how young (Madison) is. Having a good support structure with all my friends who are here, and my family really helped out, so it was nice.”
Maj. Cox also was appreciative of a sunny south Georgia September afternoon. The average temperature for the last five months in Lithuania was about 40 degrees.
“It rained every other day,” he said. “We were always busy. It was non-stop from the get-go.”
The division’s commander also expressed his gratitude for the families during the deployment.
“We understand how difficult a nine-month deployment can be,” Brig. Gen. Lubas said. “Thank you for the sacrifices each of you made to enable this mission.”
The Raider Brigade soldiers will be coming home over the next several weeks, Maj. Egan said. The families — and the soldiers too — turn the homecomings into exuberant celebrations.
“It’s an amazing occasion,” said Maj. Charlie
Egan of the 3rd ID’s public affairs office. “It’s like the greatest release of joy when you see your family after nine months of serving your country. We’re proud to do this mission. We don’t have to do this — we get to do these kinds of missions. But it does take an emotional toll on us, and we’re really happy to welcome these guys home.”
The more than 3,000 soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team have been stationed across eastern Europe, buttressing NATO’s eastern flank as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues. The 3rd ID soldiers headed back over to Europe are going to be heading that way over the next month, Maj. Egan said.
“We’re always ready for the next job our Army calls us to do,” he said.
