That's the Way It's Supposed to Be

A couple of weeks ago I was talking to Major H in the USO. He said he was in the lead team for the 1/230 from Tennessee, a squadron of soldiers heading home after 10 months in Iraq. He said they were coming through Camp Virginia and would all be here at the beginning of March and that this was the first time their squadron would all be together since they had deployed. I suggested that the USO have a bar-b-que to welcome them home and thank them for their service. He thought that was a good idea and promised to get back to me.

I didn't hear from Major H, so four days later I asked him what was up. He told me that two of their soldiers had been killed in a helicopter crash just two days before. The officers were trying to decide if they wanted to have the bar-b-que.

Eventually Major H told me that indeed they would love a celebration and we could start with the planning. Since we have only 8 USO employees and four of them are on vacation I asked Major H if we could have some assistance with setting up, grilling and cleaning up. Other than that, the USO would take care of everything.

On Saturday the USO hosted a bar-b-que for 638 of our favorite Tennessee sons and daughters. Approximately 20 volunteers (or were they "voluntolds?") from the 1/230 showed up to help transport, set up, decorate and arrange the facilities. Six soldiers cooked at two enormous grills for three hours straight. The troops provided their own DJ and a photo montage for the big screen. We served hamburgers, hot dogs and bratwurst with cheese and all of the trimmings; two beautiful cakes, Girl Scout cookies, candy and chips; sodas, lemonade, near beer and mocha lattes. There were people playing football, poker, cards and Dungeons & Dragons; there was singing, dancing and karaoke. There was talking, screaming, laughing, joking, hooting and hollering.

The event looked like a family celebration with brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and parents just kicking back, letting loose and having fun. The soldiers of the 1/230 are among the nicest and most gracious people I had ever met. I can't think of any group to whom we should be more grateful or who more deserves our recognition and appreciation.

What a blessing; what a party, what a celebration; what an absolute ball.