On Saturday, Sept. 22, my husband and I and our four children got up before the crack of dawn to see my parents off at the Bangor International Airport. After a long wait in the security clearance line, my parents made their plane.

We wanted to see it take off before leaving. Before it started for the runway, we heard troop greeters inviting everyone left in the terminal to help welcome home three troop planes. We gladly joined them in thanking and welcoming home these courageous men and women.

What a wonderful feeling to look our soldiers in the eye and shake their hands after fighting so long for our country. Smiles were abundant on both sides of the hand-shaking and high-five-ing lines.

We never did see my parents’ plane take off that day, but every one of us walked out of the airport with our hearts full of pride in our soldiers, our country and the troop greeters here for every plane! Thank you for including our family. We took away so much from this, as did our children.

Carla Seymour

Detroit