By Nathan Prewett
For the Tribune
SPRINGVILLE — For many it was an emotional night as soldiers from the 208th Chemical Company of the Alabama National Guard were reunited with their families after a more than nine-month deployment that took them overseas. The soldiers were welcomed home at the Springville National Guard Armory at a homecoming ceremony on Saturday night.
The unit of approximately 90 soldiers filed into the building, greeted applause from a packed room. Some carried signs expressing support for their relatives in the unit and there were not a few flags being waved and certainly not a few tears being shed.
Sergeant First Class Benny Keith Richardson said that teams from the unit took part in overseas operations, including Inherent Resolve and Spartan Shield.
“The support from the actual community, seeing the community here – the families, the support that Springville gave us while we were over there, the churches – was outstanding,” he said. “It was amazing.”
See the gallery below for pictures of the event: