Supplements

CURRENT ISSUE

Family, friends say welcome home, soldier

Story and photo by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

Happy to be home, Chief Warrant Officer James Neumann is back in the reserves.

His mother, Mary Ellen, his son, Sam and other family members met him when he returned from active duty at Victory Base Complex near Bagdad in Iraq Feb. 18.

Active at St. Joseph’s in Ridgway, Neumann said he has already put aside his thoughts about his responsibility for the computer network of the 620th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion and is looking forward to returning to his civilian job as a field service engineer for data and fiber optics.

While he said he didn’t feel like he was in imminent danger as other soldiers going out on patrols, he said the base was subject to rocket attacks, especially on New Year’s Eve when seven rocket attacks were launched against the Americans.

Unlike other wars, today’s soldiers can communicate with family members with Skype, through emails and Facebook, among other modes of communication, and Neumann did just that.

His son, Sam, who lives in Columbia, visits on weekends and during the summer.

He spotted his dad immediately when he walked into the staging area, not waiting for an invitation but rushing over to welcome his dad home, for good, he hopes.

“It’s a relief” to have him home, his mother said.