Newspaper Page Text
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, February 22, 2004
Flag-waving crowd greets Army Reservists’ return
By Rick Lavender
FCN regional staff
GAINESVILLE After
nearly a year in Kuwait, the
802nd came full circle Friday
afternoon.
A flag-waving crowd lined
Jesse Jewell Parkway to cheer
buses hauling members of the
Gainesville-based Army
Reserve ordnance company
from Fort Stewart to a cere
mony at the Georgia
Mountains Center.
After the program, soldiers
of the munitions troop min
gled with family and friends
before being bused to the
Reserve Center on
Shallow ford Road. There, they
were released to a life they
had only tasted in two-week
leaves during the past year.
Bobby Townley of Forsyth
County will be returning to
work as an equipment opera
tor wiih the county. He's just
not sure w hen.
Townley said he suffers
from back trouble that wors
ened during his service in
Kuwait. He's going back to
Fort Stew ail for evaluation
after which Townley, like the
rest of the 802nd. will work to
readjust to civilian life.
"It'll be different." he said.
Though a longtime 802nd
member and former Marine
for seven-plus years, this
marked his first major deploy
ment.
When you're overseas for
a full year, everything
changes."
But Townley also reasoned
that the return will be easier
on him than others, because
it's just him and his wife.
Deborah
He also said his days in the
military are numbered.
I’ve got my 20. It's time
for me to go back home." he
said.
The 802nd left the
Mountains Center in
Gainesville for Fort Stewart
on Jan. 4. 2003. By late
February, these part-time sol
diers were in Kuwait, part of a
CrescentW
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force to support the soon-com
ing Iraq war.
The company returned to
the base near Savannah last
Saturday, undergoing days of
briefings and health checks.
More than 200 people wel
comed them there. Friday's
crowd at least doubled that
number.
Hall County Sheriff's offi
cers escorted the buses from
South Georgia. In Gainesville,
volunteers tied yellow ribbons
around trees and light poles. A
wide "Welcome Home" ban
ner was draped across the
main Mountains Center
entrance.
Inside, staff and volunteers
decorated a stage and set up
tables of drinks, chips and
cake, all donated.
"No one said no that we
called." said Karen Degges, a
city employee who helped
organize the ceremony and a
year-long campaign to send
care packages to the 802nd.
Two fire engines, one each
from the county and city,
extended their ladders to meet
in an arch over Jesse Jewell.
In a last-minute touch, attor
ney Dan Summer gave the
firefighters a large U.S. flag.
They hung it between the lad
der buckets.
People gathered along the
route, laughing and holding
posters and flags.
Retired Navy chaplain
A.M. Von Almen stopped out
side the center to talk with
802nd members Robert
Baggott and Daniel Brown.
The two brought the compa
ny's weapons back Thursday
night and were waiting on
their fellow soldiers.
I want to thank you guys
for what you have done." Von
Almen said. "God's blessings
to you.”
The cheering began just
before 2:30 p.m. when the car
avan. now joined by city and
state police, their lights Hash
ing. turned off E.E. Butler
Parkway.
The soldiers dressed in
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black berets and desert cam
ouflage received more stand
ing ovations as they entered
the arena.
About 98 of the 113
deployed from across North
Georgia and the western edge
of South Carolina returned last
weekend. The others came
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home earlier because of med
ical and other hardships. Some
spent time in Iraq. None were
killed.
County, city and veterans
leaders thanked the troops,
their families and local efforts
to support them.
Staff Sgt. James Bonds of
reveals how to get relief
as fast as humanly pos
sible without drugs,
shots or surgery, call
toll-free 24-hour
recorded message at
1-888-895-7484.
North Fulton Regional Hospital
Welcomes 08/Gyn Practice
Mark Bradshaw, M.D. is board-certified in
F jStfuK Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Fellow
of the American College of Obstetrics and
■y Gynecology. Dr. Bradshaw has relocated his
P ract ’ cc t 0 Alpharetta from Rome. Georgia
( and is now accepting new patients.
Dr. Bradshaw completed his medical training
Mark Bradshaw, md and residency at the University of Texas
Southwestern Medical School and has been
in practice since 1996. For more information
regarding appointments and insurance plans,
please call (678)773-4455.
Mark Bradshaw, MD
08/Gyn Specialist of North Atlanta
11785 North Fall Lane, Suite 504
Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
(678) 773-4455
Located 0.8 miles north of North Fulton
Regional Hospital just off Highway 9.
North Fulton Regional Hospital
senej,
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www.northfultonraflonat.com
J WELCOM E |
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Photos/Scott Rogers
Above, family and friends wave signs as the buses
arrive; left, Bobby and Deborah Townley of Forsyth
County embrace during the ordnance company’s
Saturday, Feb. 14 arrival at Fort Stewart.
Gainesville sized up the wel
come home in a word:
"Tremendous."
"A lot of people just cared
about us and what we re
doing," said Bonds, cradling
his 4-year-old son Darien in
one arm.
Bonds' wife, Pam. said she
knows it will take time and
effort to return their home to
normal. James was there last
on leave in December. Soon,
he'll call Cottrell Inc., which
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makes vehicle trailers, about
returning to work.
His 8-year-old daughter
Taylor had more immediate
plans Friday.
Minutes before the soldiers
drove into sight, she grinned
and jumped in excitement at
the thought of having him
home.
What did she want to do?
"Play!" Taylor said.
Rick Lavender is a reporter
for The Times in Gainesville.