"The excitement's starting to build." Watch this Army soldier return home to his family.
Extended periods away from home are an occupational hazard for members of the military. And when you’re away for longer than expected, it can be an even bigger challenge.
MSG Gregory Lenski had expected to be deployed overseas for six months. Instead, he and his 1st Infantry Division colleagues were gone for eleven months. But at last, the day arrived when the soldiers headed home to Ft. Riley, Kansas.
Watch the video to see this heartwarming military homecoming.
“Once I was on the airplane at that point, I could kind of turn off the job a little bit,” says Lenski. “Everything‘s kind of set in stone. I think I kind of shifted more toward just being able to see my family. That was the most important thing.”
As a seasoned veteran, Lenski was used to the feeling of coming home. But it never gets old. And for the younger soldiers in particular, he says it’s a proud and inspirational experience.
“For them to be able to come out onto that tarmac and walk down the steps and be greeted by their division leadership, coming off the airplane, I think it’s important to them. And then just being able to be recognized by the division is extremely important.”
Home is where the heart is, and Lenski says it’s the little things that matter.
“Knowing that I was gonna go home. I was going to have a normal meal that was cooked at home, that I was gonna be able to put my kids to bed and be on the same time zone as they were, which is extremely important. And just kind of getting back to the normal things, going to church on Sunday, picking up the kids from school, just even being able to see my dogs.”
After so long away, Lenski says the last few moments before seeing his family felt like an age.
“It’s kind of like being in a sports game when you’re in a tunnel right before you either run out on the basketball court or a football field. It’s kind of the same feeling. So, at that point, it’s just standing and waiting. And you’re looking at the clock because you know what time the ceremony is supposed to start. I knew my wife and kids were in the bleachers. You want to look for them, but at the same time, you don’t want to move around too much.“
Finally, the welcome ceremony began, and eventually, with the formalities over, the soldiers were dismissed and free to embrace the people they’d been missing for all those months.
“Just that feeling to be able to hug my family after not hugging them for 11 months, I was super excited to be able to do that,” says Lenksi.”
And back at his house, one of the four-legged family members he’d also missed was there to greet him.
“The longer I’ve been in the Army, the more I realize how important family is,” says Lenski. “I also realize just how important I am to my family when I’m gone.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army soldier has emotional reunion with family at Fort Riley