The perfect New Year's: Soldiers back home

With one eye on the time and another on a darkened Treasure Avenue, the growing crowd outside of the National Guard Armory in Libby wondered if their loved ones would make it home before the new year.

At the strike of midnight, a few exclamations of "Happy New Year" could be heard while fireworks went off in the distance somewhere in town. And only a couple of minutes later, the bus carrying soldiers of Montana Army National Guard’s 639th Quartermaster Company rolled into the parking lot.

It was the perfect beginning to a new year … back home with family and friends. The soldiers who had served in Iraq for the past year all made it back safely.

The bus had pulled into town with an escort from the Libby Volunteer Fire Department. When the bus arrived at the armory, fireworks shot off into the dark sky. Moments later, soldiers stepped off the bus and into the arms of spouses, girlfriends, sons, daughters and friends.

Yes, it was the perfect way to start a new year … with the words, "Let's go home."

For photos of the soldiers' homecoming, see the Jan. 6 edition of The Western News.