Published: November 16, 2009 08:04 pm      

Local soldiers returning home in time for Thanksgiving

RICHLANDS, Va. — A group of Tazewell County soldiers are returning home from Afghanistan just in time for Thanksgiving.

The local troops from the 1033 Engineer Support Company in Richlands departed Tazewell County last November for Afghanistan as part of a one-year deployment in the Global War on Terror.

About 12 of the soldiers arrived back in Virginia over the weekend at the Tri-Cities Airport in Bristol, and the remainder of the local troops are due back home this Thursday, Ginger Branton, executive director of the Richlands Area Chamber of Commerce, said.

The next group of soldiers also will arrive Thursday at the Tri Cities Airport before returning to Richlands. The chamber is asking area businesses and residents to place yellow ribbons outside as a sign of support for the local soldiers.

“In my opinion, that is one of the most important things is to know that the people are happy to see them back, glad to see them and appreciate their service,” Mike Hickman, post commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 9640 in Richlands, said.

Hickman said members of the VFW Post traveled to the Tri Cities Airport over the weekend to help welcome the first dozen soldiers back home. Hickman said additional troops from the 1033 Engineer Support Company are due back in Virginia on Thursday. The remaining troops from the support company are expected back sometime between Thursday and Thanksgiving.

Hickman said the soldiers left Richlands last November for their deployment to Afghanistan. He said more than 30 soldiers from the Richlands area were part of the overseas deployment. The local soldiers were reassigned to additional units when they arrived Afghanistan.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com