It’s Good To Eat Homemade Food Again: Territory Welcomes 14 Soldiers Back From War Zone

The pictures of family and friends welcoming home 14 of the territory’s servicemen and servicewoman, members of the Virgin Islands National Guard 661^st Military Police Detachment, were posted on The Consortium’s Facebook page three days ago, receiving hundreds of likes and over 90 shares from residents eager to show their appreciation for the troops’ many sacrifices.

“Welcome Home! Thank you for your bravery and dedicated service,” said Nicole Fortuna. Lieutenant David Jones, a retired veteran who made three tours in Iraq, also offered his gratitude.

“Welcome home, warriors, glad you made it home safe,” he said.

The Consortium spoke to Fire Captain Lyndal Anthony (MSG), who expressed how much he missed his family, the territory and, yes, local food.

Sounding exhausted, Anthony, who resides in St. Thomas, said the trip was long with various stops being made on the way to the territory. Nonetheless, he said it felt “great to be back home in once piece.”

It was Anthony’s second Kandahar, Afghanistan tour. He, along with his peers, landed at the Cyril E. King airport at 4:00 p.m., and made known to The Consortium that it would be his last; as he had no desire to return to the battlefield.

Deployed in the Afghanistan war zone for 8 months, Anthony said sometimes, while on duty, he would set his mind on the things he left behind, reminding himself that as soon as he returned, his loved ones would be waiting.

“And it wasn’t my first time being away from home so it wasn’t that bad,” he added.

Anthony said the threat level in Afghanistan remains high. The country, he went on, is still at war and soldiers must do whatever they can to protect themselves and their peers serving on the various U.S. bases spread across the vast country located in the Asian continent.

The soldiers who arrived on Delta Airlines on Thursday included: Anthony, Fire Sargeant George Straun (SSG), Fire Corporal Troy Roper (SGT), Ephraim Sydney (SSG), Stedmann Hodge (SGT), Mallissa Hanley (SGT), Hailey Cagan (SSG), Mario Brooks (Capt.) and Kellen Phillips (SSG).

The soldiers were greeted by Col. Edward Richards, Lt. Col. Elvis Harvey and Oral Wheatley (Fire Chief).