Heartwarming Holiday Homecoming For Over 550 Minnesota Soldiers After Middle East Deployment.

Heartwarming Holiday Homecoming For Over 550 Minnesota Soldiers After Middle East Deployment.

The holidays have seen a special homecoming in Minnesota as over 550 soldiers of the 34th Infantry Division, known as the Red Bulls, returned to their families following a 10-month deployment in the Middle East, with operations spanning across seven countries including Kuwait, according to reports from CBS News Minnesota and WJON.

Their arrival heralds more than just festive cheer as expressed by Major Tommy Miller who, during his overseas service dealt with the regional tensions, including multiple missile and drone attacks launched by Iran against Israel, as the troops provided training and support to regional partners. With their homecoming spreading across 216 communities, this serves as a collective sigh of relief and joy for the families. "I feel loved. I feel special," Lucas Miller said, wrapped in his father's arms, in a statement obtained by CBS News Minnesota.

For Alex Miller, Major Miller's wife, the return of her husband is not just a reunion but a restoration of family balance and happiness, "Being a solo parent can get a little wearing. My mood has picked up, and the kids feel that too. We're all just happy again," she relayed in an interview, reflecting the strain that military families endure during deployments.

These soldiers, coming from towns as distinct and diverse as Avon, Becker, and St. Cloud bring with them the spirit of a mission accomplished and a holiday season to be savored with loved ones, with some hailing from places as quaint as Pierz, Rice, and Sartell. Major Miller himself, in a deeper reflection about his time overseas, tells CBS News Minnesota, "I spent a lot of time on the deployment thinking about how I want to live when I come back from deployment," noting the importance of discipline and introspection even in times of separation and duty.

Their mission, while steeped in present challenges, continues the legacy of the Minnesota National Guard's involvement in the Middle East, including previous deployments to Kuwait and Iraq as part of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Iraqi Freedom, respectively, with Major Miller and his unit returning after their deployment in February of the same year.

SOURCE: hoodline