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John Daley ReportingThe last four members of a Utah Army Reserve unit--the 419th Transportation Company—came home today to an emotional reunion. And this reunion included one unexpected moment.
Emotions were indeed running high today as these soldiers looked out the airplane window and saw the familiar landscape of Utah for the first time in 18 months. But one of them couldn't believe his eyes when he got to the terminal. Due to health problems, Nancy Tibbitts recently had gastric bypass surgery.
Nancy Tibbitts, Wife of Soldier: "In ten months I've lost 140 pounds, so he's not going to know what I look like."
The unit transported fuel in convoys, always wary of roadside bombs. Scary duty, but today it's a different emotion.
Staff Sgt. Keil Liebert, 419th Transportation Unit: "Hearts racing, hearts pumping, you get that nervous feeling but it's good to be home."
Staff Sgt. Jason Bryan, 419th Transportation Company: "Some days you just think, ‘when is it ever going to end?’ You don't think this point is ever going to get there. It's definitely a point in my life I'm never going to forget."
Rebecca Bryan, Wife of Jason: "It's just good to have him home. Nice to see him again."
Bryan Singleton, 419th Transportation Company: "Greatest thing that ever happened. I was looking forward to this day."
James Tibbits too is having a great day -- one with a surprise he won't forget.
James Tibbitts: "How does it feel to have that kind of welcome home? It's nice, it's really, really nice."
In all there were 180 servicemen and women in the unit who went to Iraq. They didn't lose a single soldier there and consider themselves very lucky for that.
