Deployed Service Members Receive a Warm Welcome Home

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class(SW) David Danals, Defense Media Activity - Navy

BALTIMORE (NNS) -- Operation Welcome Home Maryland (OWHM) volunteers greeted more than 300 service members arriving at Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall airport returning from overseas deployments, Dec. 19.

OWHM is an all-volunteer force that has greeted more than 190,000 military personnel returning from deployments since 2007.

"These are our heroes, and they deserve a really great welcome home," said Ken Funk, OWH team leader and treasurer. "They are the ones that protect us every single day by fighting for our freedom and protecting our rights."

OWH consists of volunteers from church groups, scouts, schools and veteran groups all the way to the Expeditionary Combat Readiness Center (ECRC) whose mission is to see that these returning service members get all the help they need.

"We meet the service members here at the airport and make sure they are greeted and get to where they need to go," said Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Reginald Lewis, ECRC. "Nobody should be left behind ungreeted and they should feel welcomed for their hard work and dedication overseas."

Volunteers at the event participated by making gift bags in an assembly line fashion prior to the flight arriving, as well as hanging up posters and helping out with heavy luggage.

"Whether they are from Kansas or California, they are back on American soil, and they are so happy to be back here" said Funk. "It is like a big weight off their shoulders, and to see these people greeting them puts a big smile on their faces."

BWI receives the highest number of returning veterans per year with an average of 20 flights per month which equals to greeting 4,000 to 5,000 each month.

In 2010, more than 45,000 service members aboard 215 flights were greeted by OWHM volunteers. For more information about Operation welcome Home, visit Operationwelcomehome.org.