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SALT LAKE CITY — Some Utah soldiers arrived back home Wednesday night, following a year-long deployment in Afghanistan. While these soldiers were not on the front lines, their job was critical for the morale of the troops.
We don't hear a lot about their mission, members of the 478th Human Resources Company and others like them play a critical role in every overseas military operation.
"I like helping out the soldiers," said Cpl. Adam Parr.
Parr and seven other soldiers with the unit arrived back home Wednesday night after a year-long deployment in Afghanistan. While these Fort Douglas-based soldiers were not on the front lines, their job meant a lot to all of the troops.
"It's really nice to see their faces when they get a package from the family," Parr said.
Members of the 478th deliver and pick up the mail. For many in the group, this is the second or third deployment top a war zone.
"Just a letter from home, a package from home, really boosts their spirits and gets them through the next week, and even the next day," Parr said.
But even that relatively safe mission is dangerous in Afghanistan.
"We had a lot of close calls," Parr said. "When we were sleeping, we had grenade thrown over the wire."
And that was nerve-racking enough for Parr's fiancee, Courtney Sharp, who said it was a challenging year.
"It went by slow, but towards the end it kind of went by fast," she said. "I've been able to skype him."
Upon arrival, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Brinkerhoff of South Jordan got a big family hug from his three kids. He said it was tough being away from them for an entire year, but his military family is close too.
"I enjoyed being with the friends I was deployed with, and working together (with them)," he said.
His daughter, Zoey, said she missed her dad terribly — and most of all she missed him tickling her.
As a military family, the Brinkerhoffs know how important the mail is when their father is so far away. So they're proud of the mission he performed.
"I know I was happy when we got things from our dad," Brinkerhoff's daughter, Kenzi, said. "We sent him presents as well. We never forgot him."
Now that their father is home, they have big plans for him. Among them, Kenzi plans to take her dad to look for her first car.
Thirteen other members of the U.S. Army Reserve unit headed home to Idaho and Montana Wednesday. Elements of the 478th have deployed four times since 2009.
