Welcome ceremony greets unit with cheer

17th Fires Brigade returns after spending year in Iraq

Sgt. 1st Class Samantha M. Stryker/17th Fires Brigade PAO

As the nation celebrated its independence, hundreds of Thunderbolt Soldiers rejoiced in the arms of their families and friends during several welcome home ceremonies held at the Soldiers Field House.

Late in the evening July 5 the last Soldiers from 17th Fires Brigade were rewarded with cheers and words of praise by brigade leaders during a short ceremony.

More than 1,000 Soldiers — and one civilian — from 17th Fires Brigade returned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord after completing a yearlong deployment in Iraq. The pinnacle of the mission was the successful support of the March parliamentary elections.

The brigade commander, Col. Steven L. Bullimore, told audience members that he was proud of the Soldiers.

“Every one of the Soldiers here and in the Thunderbolt Brigade did a double duty this year, to include Soldiers back here. The (deployed) Soldiers took over for a unit twice their size; and I may be a tad-bit tainted – but they did a better job,” Bullimore said.

After the ceremony, loved ones rushed toward the large formation of troops to embrace their Soldiers.

“It is fantastic, awesome,” was all that Young Hee Stone could say as she and her daughters clung to Maj. Greg Stone, brigade signal officer. “It seems that we miss him more than the last time, if that is possible,” she added with a shy smile toward her husband.

That same feeling was echoed by Spc. James Leinhardt, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, and his wife, Rachel.

“It is awesome to be with my family, my wife,” Leinhardt said.

Rachel added, “It is surreal to finally have him back and just in time for our 10-year wedding anniversary.”

She said that the time away from her husband, “felt like this was a super-long deployment.”

She explained she had to be mom and dad, describing how hard it was to explain to her children why their father was not yet back when they saw other Soldiers coming home.

The command team consisting of Bullimore and Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph E. Santos led Soldiers from the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 256th Signal Company, 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 606th Forward Support Company, 308th Brigade Support Battalion as they continued the important partnership with local Basra leadership and the provincial reconstruction team in promoting economic growth and ensuring regional stability.

In late 2009, the members of the fire and effects coordination cell from 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment joined the brigade after their mission at Contingency Operation Base Speicher near Tikrit supporting the 25th Infantry Division ended with that division’s redeployment.

The Thunderbolt Brigade deployed to assume control of Basra Province as part of Multi-National Division-South, which was later renamed United States Division-South. The brigade first joined 34th Infantry Division and until that division was replaced by 1st Infantry Division.

The 17th Fires Brigade served with distinction during combat operations. The more than 2,000 Soldiers, Sailors and Marines of Task Force Thunderbolt were able to mature governmental and military organizations throughout Basra Province. Over the course of a year, the brigade worked, managed and implemented more than 100 projects, from water treatment to electricity distribution to institutional reform, at an estimated cost of more than $100 million, directly affecting more than two million Iraqis.

Also of note, in early 2010 Pfc. Cameron R. Hebert, Brigade Maneuver Element, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, received a Purple Heart for injuries suffered during a mission Jan. 5. This was the only Purple Heart received by a member of the Thunderbolt Brigade during this deployment, to date.

The 17th Fires Brigade recently welcomed back other units that deployed to Iraq but not with the headquarters. In February 2009, Soldiers with 26th Target Acquisition Battery deployed to provide Sentinel radar cover for five outlying bases for Coalition Forces under Multi-National Divisions-Baghdad, North and South.

In March 2009, Soldiers from 5-3 FA, deployed to serve as the fires and effects coordination cell for the 25th Infantry Division in MND-N, based at COB Speicher and Tikrit.

In June 2009, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment deployed to support 1st Cavalry Division and later 1st Armored Division in MND-Baghdad.