Soldiers return after year in Iraq

By Matt Ollwerther -Marshfield News-Herald

VOLK FIELD - More than 100 central Wisconsin soldiers returned to hundreds of family members Sunday morning after serving for more than a year in central Iraq.

The last soldiers exited the plane about a half hour after it landed at around 7:20 a.m. All the while, the crowd of several hundred cheered, whistled and shouted the names of family members.

About 120 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Charlie Company, which is based in Arcadia and Neillsville, were on the flight.

About 15 minutes before the chartered commercial flight landed, the hangar emptied as families wanted to see the plane touch down.

Children held up signs reading "My daddy, my hero is home" and "Over here dad!" For Melanie Floyd of Neillsville, Sunday was the second time she's waited for her husband, Mario, to return from Iraq.

She woke up at 2 a.m. and four hours later sat holding 7-month-old daughter, Cassandra, surrounded by her family inside a Volk Field hangar. Mario flew back from Iraq in March within 48 hours of his daughter being born.

Mario kept her updated on his travel progress. Melanie said her husband was delayed in Iraq because of a sandstorm. After the delay, he flew over Europe and boarded another aircraft in Maine for the last leg of the trip.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, several senior military officials and the 132nd Army Band welcomed the soldiers home.

Soldiers turned in their weapons and fell into a final formation before being released to their families, a process that took more than 20 minutes.

That didn't bother Debbie Hansen, the mother of Brandon Hensiak of Neillsville. It was a much longer wait when they left, she said.

Amanda, Brandon's wife, wasn't worried about the wait - or much else. "I don't care. They're on American soil," she said.

As the soldiers marched toward the hangar and through a narrow corridor of family members, Mario Floyd gave a quick kiss to Cassandra. Families close enough to the soldiers shook hands and thanked each of the soldiers.

Adam Snyder of Neillsville had 14 family members - most of them wearing red, white and blue top hats - welcome him home.

The small entourage arrived at 5:30 a.m., before any security forces were on hand, said June Erickson, Adam's aunt.

While sitting in hangar, Adam Snyder said his new settings hadn't yet sunk in, a feeling that appeared to be shared by his fellow soldiers.

Snyder wished to sit in the woods on a bow hunt and let his mind settle into his new reality.

And he'll also be spending time with his 5-month-old son, Chase, who was held by his wife Samantha before the plane arrived. Snyder, like Mario Floyd, traveled from Iraq to witness his child's birth.

Mario Floyd held Cassandra, helping her balance to a hesitant standing position.

His plans? "Just taking it as it goes," he said.

The Hensiaks said they plan on taking their honeymoon. They were married in October 2003.