Pittsburgh Post-Gazette December 31, 2005
Troops home after a year in Iraq see changes there, here
Saturday, December 31, 2005
By Jerome L. Sherman,
Jessica Litzinger, 22, of Greensburg gets a hug from her husband Pfc. Daniel Litzinger during a welcome home celebration yesterday at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Hiller, Pa. Pfc. Litzinger returned from his tour of duty in Iraq with the 430th Adjutant General Replacement Company.
Pfc. Dan Litzinger missed two Christmas celebrations with his 11/2-year-old son, Alexander, when his Army reserve unit deployed to Iraq.
But yesterday marked an especially meaningful Christmas gift for Pfc. Litzinger, 23, even if it came a few days late. He and about two dozen soldiers with the 430th Replacement Company returned from a year-long stint overseas to an emotional homecoming at their headquarters in Hiller, Fayette County.
"Say hello to your daddy," Jessica Litzinger told Alexander as his father, still clad in desert fatigues, jumped off a chartered bus and waded through a thick crowd before embracing his young family. Tears flowed freely.
A year ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette talked to Pfc. Litzinger, of Greensburg, just as he was preparing to leave his mother, wife and son for the terrifying uncertainty of war. Much has changed since then, both on the battlefield and the homefront.
Alexander no longer crawls, he runs. His voice grasps for sounds that almost resemble words. But he still shares his father's military-style buzz cut.
In Iraq, millions of people voted for the first time in a series of historic elections in 2005, laying a foundation for democracy in the war-torn country.
That step forward, however, came at a considerable price. More than 850 American soldiers were killed in Iraq over the last year, and more than 5,200 were wounded, according to globalsecurity.org.
A fierce insurgency has also killed thousands of Iraqis.
Pfc. Litzinger's unit suffered no casualties during its assignment at Balad Air Base, a sprawling complex north of Baghdad that serves as a major hub for U.S. military forces. He and his fellow soldiers helped provide logistical and administrative support -- transportation, supplies -- for the many combat troops who came through the base.
That support role gave the 430th some protection from the din of battle. But only some. Mortar attacks are a regular occurrence at Balad.
Most returning soldiers yesterday were reluctant to discuss details about their time in Iraq, although the strains of a lengthy separation from the familiarities of home weren't far from the surface.
"The days got stressful," Pfc. Litzinger said. "Especially toward the end. The last couple of months, we just stuck together."
Vaughana Valente, of Brownsville, regularly corresponded with her husband, Sgt. 1st Class James Valente, via e-mail messages and occasional telephone calls. He rarely described the dangers he faced, but he didn't have to.
"Nowhere's safe over there," said Mrs. Valente, 37.
The base did have some comforts, including fast-food outlets such as Burger King, Subway and Pizza Hut.
Care packages from the U.S. were eagerly anticipated. Deb Weiblinger, of McKees Rocks, shipped boxes of razors, underwear, toothbrushes and other necessities to her daughter, Staff Sgt. Barbara Weiblinger, who distributed them to wounded soldiers.
This was the third overseas deployment for 31-year-old Sgt. Weiblinger, who also has served in Bosnia and Afghanistan. But she had never experienced anything like the celebratory welcome that awaited the 430th yesterday.
At the end of a long trip from New Jersey, the soldiers' bus exited Interstate 70 and a state police cruiser took the lead, followed by several fire trucks from Allison, Hiller, and Luzerne, all with their sirens blaring.
In Brownsville, dozens of people ran from shops and homes to cheer the passing parade. And a crowd of almost 100 greeted the soldiers with flags and homemade signs as the bus pulled into the parking lot of the U.S. Army Reserve Center.
"This is a big deal for me," Sgt. Weiblinger said after seeing her parents, sister and boyfriend.
The Valente clan, a pack of at least 20 people, held out a banner reading "Welcome home Jimmy."
"He's the rock of this family," his sister, Renee, said.
Pfc. Litzinger's mother, Judy, wore an American flag pin and a blue shirt emblazoned with the message, "Proud Mom of a U.S. Soldier," the same shirt she wore when her son left last year.
As her son hugged his wife and child, Judy Litzinger stood back and watched. And cried.
"All I wanted to do -- I just wanted to touch his face," she said. "I just wanted to know that it was real, he was OK."
© Copyright 2005, PG Publishing Co., Inc.
