Welcome Home Charlie Co.

I live in a rural community, but a patriotic one. Charlie Company consists of over 100 local national guardsmen and women who were in Iraq for almost a year. I inadvertantly ended up in the freeway parade of hundreds of motorcycles escorting Charlie Company home after they returned from Iraq and were bused up the freeway to their home town.

This photo is of one of the overpasses as we traveled up the freeway. Each overpass was filled with people waving flags, some filled with fire trucks and flags flying from their ladders.

It was very emotional for me. While I don't agree with the war in Iraq, I do support our troops and everything they stand for. They put their lives on the line for their country and for each of us.

I couldn't help but wish we had welcomed home our Viet Nam veterans in the same joyful way. The fact that we didn't, is a black mark on American history and one I hope we learned from.