Homecoming, 126th Army Aviation Regiment, Quonset Point
| On 18 December, 2005, with a beautiful Sunday afternoon as a backdrop, families and friends welcomed home a sizable contingent of returning soldiers of the RI National Guard. Over 100 service men and women from the 1st Battalion, 126th Army Aviation Regiment deplaned from two C-130J air transports from the RI Air National Guard 143rd Airlift Wing, having recently arrived back in the United States after spending over a year in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Included in this group was the Sea Cadet's own Training Officer, CW4 Bruce Pino, an UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot with the Guard. In addition to the cheering crowd assembled inside and out of the Army Aviation Support Facility at Quonset Point, the returning soldiers were greeted by Governer Don Carcieri and LT Governer Charles Fogarty, Senators Jack Reed and Lincoln Chafee, Mark Zaccaria from the North Kingstown town council (Mr. Zaccaria's daughter was among the returning members of the 1/126th), and representatives from the print and broadcast media.
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NCBC Cadets are reunited with their Training Officer |
Crowd assembles in Army hangar |
Folks warm up from the cold outside |
Families and friends prepare |
NCBC Cadets chat before the big moment |
Welcoming banners are ready |
This says it all |
1/126th members assemble |
Whoops and cheers from the line |
CW4 Pino begins a round of greetings |
A proud moment for all |
Welcome home! |
Stories to tell, on both sides |
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