On Saturday afternoon, Arizona families, friends, and state leaders came together to give a warm welcome to the hundreds of courageous men and women who serve in the Arizona National Guard.
The 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, Bushmasters has welcomed back more than 350 soldiers who have been serving in 17 locations across seven countries. This includes soldiers who were injured in a tragic drone attack in Jordan earlier this year, which resulted in the loss of three U.S. service members from Georgia. These brave Bushmasters have now returned home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.
Officials have praised the dedication and rigorous training of the unit, which ensured their exceptional professionalism and bravery in response to the attack.
“They were basically in the central command area of the Middle East, South Asia, and they were involved in law and order and security in the region,” said Maj. Gen. Kerry Muehlenbeck. “Service is something that nobody can take away from them. Once they’ve done it, they own it forever, and that is something they should be proud of.”
According to Maj. Gen. Muehlenbeck, the soldiers’ unique qualities played a significant role in achieving their mission’s success.
According to her, the National Guard offers a unique advantage. With a multitude of soldiers who hold other occupations, they can utilize their skills when deployed. This allows them to come together, combine their talents, and tackle any challenge that arises. “That’s the beauty of the National Guard,” she stated.
American flags, signs, and flowers were eagerly held by families waiting for the arrival of their loved ones. A touching moment was captured when a woman arrived with a sign that read, “I’ve waited 313 days for this moment.”
“It’s just a rush of emotion,” said Maj. Gen. Muehlenbeck. “The signs are just a great reminder that everything we do, those of us in uniform, we can’t do it without the support of our family members, the support of our friends.”
In attendance to welcome home the troops and express appreciation for representing Arizona was Gov. Katie Hobbs.
During his initial deployment with the battalion, Capt. Hyrum Byers found it challenging to be away from his family, which was still growing at the time.
“It was a challenging experience for me when my wife was pregnant during my deployment. Being away from her and not being able to provide support for the first few months was tough. However, we had a very real mission to focus on, which kept me going,” he shared. “Now that I’m back home, it feels great to be reunited with my kids. I’m proud of the whole battalion and their families should be too, as they all did an awesome job.”
