By David Spunt Reporter
News 3 On Your Side
Over 270 3rd Brigade soldiers made their way home Thursday after a tour of duty in Iraq. News 3 On Your Side
Email to a Friend
Stumble It!News 3 was on the tarmac as the plane carrying the soldiers landed just after 5:00 p.m.
Families eagerly awaited their soldier’s arrival, ready to take them home for some much needed rest, but on every flight there are always a handful of soldiers who don't have anyone greeting them when they get off the plane.
Families wait impatiently in Freedom Hall, ready to welcome home their soldier, but in the back of the room, you'll find someone with open arms, ready to welcome home complete strangers.
“It's incredible. It's absolutely incredible,” said Gene Rodgers of Columbus.
Gene Rodgers is part of the Columbus Branch Red Cross. She comes to re-deployment ceremonies to welcome home the soldiers that don't have anyone to greet them.
“It's very emotional, note the tears,” she said.
Rodgers doesn't know these soldiers, in fact she's never met them before, and may never again, but she hopes she can give them some comfort when they return.
“It could have been my children. It could have been my husband or father and these are people's families and it’s incredibly important that we welcome them home,” she said.
They're called single soldiers, and often times their families can't be at the ceremony because of a financial situation or another circumstance.
You can usually spot them outside of Freedom Hall, enjoying some down time before they board busses and head to their barracks. But before they go, they can stop for a quick hug from Gene.
“I’ve been dreaming of it since we left so it's a shock,” said PFC Shawn Stokes from San Francisco, California.
No matter what time of day, month or year it is, flights full of soldiers will always head home to Fort Benning, and Gene Rodgers says as long as she can, she'll be holding out both arms to welcome them home.
“It's just some thing I'll never forget and if you can do anything for these people anything I can do for them I'm going to do,” she said.
News 3 is on your side with more information if you want to help welcome home the remainder of Fort Benning's single soldiers.
To volunteer, call the local Red Cross at 706-323-5614, or you can visit them online by clicking here.
