Reservists greeted as Afghanistan mission ends
Jerry Dodd peered across the Route 21 landscape. Somewhere out there on a bus was his son making his way from Pittsburgh to the Uniontown Army Reserve Center. The family was one of the first to arrive and although the hour was late, the weather wet and chilly, it was apparent that this father was going to stand at the entrance to the center until his son, Spec. Andrew Dodd, arrived.
For the past seven months, Andrew Dodd and other members of the 351st Army Reserves have been stationed in Afghanistan.
On Sunday, they came home.
“We were surprised when he joined,” said the family patriarch while waiting his son’s arrival. “I had talked to him sometime during his junior year in high school and mentioned the military, but it wasn’t something that he was interested in.
“Then during his senior year in high school, he came home one day and said a recruiter was coming by to talk to us, that he had talked to them in school and he thought this is something he wanted to do.”
Carol Dodd said her son was off to basic training shortly after graduating from Connellsville Area Senior High School in 2001.
“He was only home a couple of months and they were called to active duty,” she said.
Over the months, the family had talked frequently on the telephone and by e-mail, but the Dodd’s were never quite sure just what their son was doing.
“He wasn’t able to tell us too much,” said Jerry Dodd. “We just kept our fingers crossed every time something happened and that it was far away from the airbase where he was at.”
Headquartered in Romney, W.Va., the unit specializes in ammunition supply and delivery along with vehicle maintenance.
Sgt. Randolph Simpson came to Uniontown from Romney to see his girlfriend, Spec. Lisa Winemiller, who was also returning from the overseas duty.
The two met while serving in the unit and both had anticipated being deployed at the same time, but not the same location.
According to Simpson, the 351st received orders in April 2002 that it would replace active duty soldiers based at Fort Lewis in Washington who were deployed in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kuwait.
“We thought that we’d be out there until they came back and that was it,” said Simpson.
The reservists took part in a two-week desert training combat course in June and then returned to Fort Lewis with high marks and praise from their commanders for a “job well done,” he added.
In August, the unit was advised it would continue to follow the path of the Fort Lewis regulars and be deployed overseas.
On Sept. 12, Andrew Dodd, Winemiller and 68 other members of the unit left for Afghanistan and Uzbekistan while the others awaited their marching orders.
“In December they canceled the Kuwaiti mission and that’s where I was supposed to go,” said Simpson. “We were disappointed; we were pumped and ready to go.”
During their separation, said Simpson, the couple exchanged frequent telephone calls, e-mails and gifts.
“It was tough,” said Simpson as he awaited Winemiller’s return.
Michelle Cunningham of Vanderbilt stretched out an American flag in the rear of her truck as she awaited the arrival of her friend, Spec. Jeff Hayden.
“It’s something that we have been wanting to do, but just haven’t gotten around to it,” she said. “Today is a good day.”
While most families had not made any specific plans for homecomings parties, Cunningham and her boyfriend, Fred Perkey, had a surprise waiting for Hayden.
During his deployment, the couple took possession of his 1984 Chevrolet pick-up truck and painted and detailed the vehicle.
“He had asked us to just fix the rust spots,” said Cunningham. “It was just a truck that he used on his parent’s and grandparent’s farm and he didn’t want much done.”
Instead, she said, they repaired the entire body of the truck, added a new front grill, and applied several coats of red paint and pin striping.
“I think he’s going to be very surprised,” she said.
With Hayden’s return, Cunningham said she could also put the finishing touches on her wedding plans.
“We were waiting for him to come home because he’s the best man,” she said.
As the hour neared 1 a.m., headlights of the blue DeBolt bus finally dispersed the darkness and rejuvenated those that had been patiently waiting.
Amy Rohal of Connellsville had been one of the last to arrive at the center and edged her way to the bus to greet her husband, Spec.. Don Rohal.
“I can’t wait to see him,” she said.