By Ashley McLeod, Staff Writer
Nov 26, 2013, 14:14
FORT LEE — Soldiers from the 54th Quartermaster Company returned home just in time to spend the holidays with their families.
In a ceremony held Monday night, the crowd was filled with both laughter and tears from family and friends gathered at Fort Lee to welcome back the deployed soldiers.
The 44 soldiers in the company were deployed on May 28 for a six-month tour of duty to Kuwait and Afghanistan in support of overseas operations.
Desiree Gunderson welcomed back her husband Jeremy, who was out on his first deployment with the company.
“I’m ready for him to be back, and get back into the swing of things,” Gunderson said.
While deployed, Gunderson took care of her two daughters, ages 3 and 6, as well as taking care of two boys, ages 6 and 9, whose mother was deployed as well.
It’s been nerve-wracking,” Gunderson said. “Time went very slow in the beginning, and towards the end it picked up and went by really fast.”
Gunderson is also the leader of the Family Readiness Group at Fort Lee, making sure that families of soldiers are informed about what’s going on with their loved ones, and providing support for those who need it.
Robert Mosley was at the ceremony with three of his children, welcoming back his daughter, Rocheal, from her first deployment.
Mosley, who along with his wife, was in the Army as well, also has a son enlisted, who is currently in Afghanistan. Mosley was excited for at least one of his children to be back from overseas.
“It’s hard, but I’m proud of them, and I’m happy she’s stepping back on United States soil,” Mosley said.
Rocheal’s younger brother, Gabriel, and younger sisters, Malia and Elizabeth, were with their father at the ceremony, and were ready for their sister to return home.
Gunderson said that out of the 44 soldiers returning to Fort Lee, family members from all but 10 were in attendance.
“I’m glad we have as many family members as we do here tonight to welcome them back,” Gunderson said.
Fellow soldiers were also in attendance to welcome their Army family back to the country, and Lt. Col. Ki Young Pak, commander of the 82nd Special Troop Battalion, spoke to the crowd, welcoming the soldiers back, as well as thanking them for their service.
The 54th Quartermaster Company is one of two active Mortuary Affairs units, conducting search, recovery, and evacuation operations for the Army.
