Local guardsmen return from overseas
CONNELLSVILLE – “They’re home.” The simple phrase was repeated several times Saturday afternoon as family and friends greeted the first wave of 10 National Guardsmen that returned to the Connellsville Armory.
Emily Nichelson ran into the awaiting arms of Spec. Tim Bootz, while Amy Sage greeted her husband, Sgt. Scot Sage, as he stepped off the chartered bus that had brought the soldiers from Fort Dix, N.J.
The processing was delayed for several days as other troops were prepared for deployment.
“He’s home, that’s all that matters,” said Donna Sage of the arrival of her son.
The remaining deployed members of the unit are expected to arrive in the U.S. within the next few weeks.
Since July, the soldiers have been providing security at U.S. military bases in Germany and Italy. Two other members are serving as part of a NATO peacekeeping force in Bosnia/Herzegovina.
The returning guardsmen arrived at Fort Dix on Monday and completed paperwork and received medical check-ups before being released from active duty, said Sgt. Arnold Perkins.
The South Connellsville Volunteer Fire Co. escorted the bus from the intersection of Route 119 and Pittsburgh Street to the Washington Avenue armory.
As the convoy turned onto Washington Avenue, the sirens sounded, signaling their arrival and a special welcome-home greeting to their assistant chief, Scot Sage.
“It has been different not having him around,” said Donna Sage. “I was accustomed to him being around everyday whether he stopped in at the house to get a glass of milk or a peanut butter cup or we saw him at the fire station.
“You get used to that and all of a sudden he was gone.”
Scot Sage originally enlisted in the Navy in 1987, seeing duty in the Mediterranean the next year and in Desert Storm in 1991. He left the Navy in 1994 and signed on with the National Guard in 2001.
Although he was based in Italy, Donna Sage said the proximity to Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf caused some concern for the family.
“You just never know anymore,” she said.
And with the continuation of troop build-up in Europe, Donna Sage sometimes wondered if her son would return home or be required to remain overseas.
“It doesn’t matter how old they get, you still worry about them,” she said.
Family and friends rallied around the South Connellsville family throughout the deployment, keeping their spirits high, said Donna Sage.
“Everywhere we would go, people would ask about Scot. How he was doing or if we had heard from him,” she said. “We couldn’t go to the fire hall without someone coming up to us and talking about him. It made it a lot easier.”
She anticipates that her son will take a few weeks off before returning to his zoning officer position with the Fayette County Department of Community and Economic Development.
“I imagine he’ll want some time to adjust to being home and spending time with his wife and children,” said Donna Sage.
In the meantime, she said, she’d be going to the store to stock up on milk and peanut butter cups.
“He’s home. I’d better be ready when he stops in,” she said.
Also returning home Saturday was Lt. Tom Guthrie, Sgt. Anthony Nichols, Sgt. Tim Williamson, Spec. Craig Thomas, Spec. Jared McLaughlin, Sgt. Jarrod Shultz, Pfc. John Petko and Pfc. Jamal Straughters.