Hurry up and wait...

Today, I covered my first ever homecoming. 300 out of 1,000 Marines and sailors came home from Iraq, it was the largest group from 2/8 to arrive at one time.

Photographer Randy Davey and I arrived at Camp Lejeune around 2 p.m., to meet the Public Affairs Officer at the gate at 2:15 for a 2:30-3p.m. arrival. At 3:15, we were told that it would be about an hour, hour and a half. ... I returned to the office at 6p.m., to type the article up quickly, and get to the 7 p.m. Onslow County Board of Commissioners meeting.

While I would be completely full of it if I said I was not aggravated this afternoon, homecomings are a beautiful thing. You have fathers, wives, daughters, sons, girlfriends, boyfriends, parents and children all waiting to see a loved one, some of which are meeting daddy for the first time. Over 30 children were born while their father was away, but Maj Rob Peterson said it right, a newborn is better than a death in the family.

Despite my sunburn, hydration and nicotine fit, even I was elated when the buses pulled up. It was a beautiful sight, one I am sure many families look forward to.