Photo By Sgt. Ian Charles Tracy | Maj. Gen. Daniel D. Boyack, Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard welcomes home...... read more read more
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Crystal clear blue skies, cold temperatures, warm embraces, and general revelry marked the tarmac at the Roland R. Wright Air Base on Saturday Jan.18, in Salt Lake City, as approximately 150 Soldiers from the Utah Army National Guard’s 204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade returned to the Beehive State following a 9-month deployment primarily based in Djibouti and East Africa where they supported the U.S. and allied forces and Department of State Embassies.
Saturday’s homecoming marked the second for the brigade, as nearly 140 Soldiers returned home on Dec. 24, right before the Christmas holiday.
“What makes it even more special is that we were able to pull some strings to get them home on Christmas Eve, a couple days earlier than the original plan,” said Maj. Jake Stephenson, a company commander with Headquarters Support Co. 204th MEB. “Everything worked out perfectly and it really made it a special day and holiday for those families.”
Following the return of the first group in December, Utah National Guard leaders and family members braved frigid temperatures to enthusiastically greet the second group of returning Soldiers Saturday at the Air Base. Led by Col. Woodrow Miner, the arrival of the second group marked the end of the Horn of Africa mission for the 204th.
“I am proud to have served alongside the Soldiers of the 204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade who continued the Utah National Guard’s legacy of outstanding military service during our deployment in Djibouti as the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa staff.” said Miner.
“I think our team over there did a great job, we were able to get into a couple embassies that we hadn’t been before and make some progress,” he added.
While Miner spoke highly of a job well done by his Soldiers, the real spirit of the day was found in the faces of family members reunited with their Soldiers at long last.
“We’re very excited. It’s been a long year, so we’re very excited to have him home,” said Stephanie Brice, wife of 1st. Sgt. Justin Brice, an operations NCO with the MEB.
While Stephanie said reuniting with loved ones after a long deployment is a wonderful feeling, her husband mentioned that the sentiment is mutual for the Soldier, echoing his wife’s thoughts while pondering the sacrifices Soldiers make to accomplish their mission
Other Soldiers in the unit shared Brice’s feelings on coming home, not just to family, but to a familiar place.
“It’s good to be home, it’s good to be back in cold Utah,” said Sgt. Andrew Collett. “We’ve been missing the mountains a lot. A lot of things look really good around here.”
Shifting from hot days in the Horn of Africa to cold and clear days along the Wasatch Front, things are indeed looking good for the 204th MEB. Both taking the satisfaction of a job well done, and enjoying the warm embrace of loved ones at long last.
| Date Taken: | 01.18.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.22.2025 13:25 |
| Story ID: | 489473 |
| Location: | SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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