SAN ANTONIO – Soldiers from the 440th Blood Support Detachment at Fort Sam Houston returned to San Antonio and were greeted by dozens of friends and family members at San Antonio International Airport.
There to greet Sergeant Jullian Hodges were his wife and new baby girl, Addison, who he was meeting for the very first time.
"She was born about three months into our tour so for all intents and purposes this is the first time I get to meet her face-to-face," Hodges said. "Being on the computer screen is not the same as being there with your child."
For many of the soldiers, Sunday marked the end of their second deployment to Afghanistan. The group was tasked with delivering blood and blood products to wounded soldiers in the field.
Sergeant First Class John Barry said returning just in time for the holidays makes this homecoming even more special. He said he's looking forward to relaxing with his family and celebrating "Daddy Daughter Day" with his daughter Katherine.
"No words that can describe the feeling of a homecoming such as this at this time," he said. "This is definitely a Thanksgiving that we'll all remember."