Cheers, tears and smiles as ND Army National Guard troops return from Iraq

Coming home from Iraq means a lot of changes for Glenn Manor. His wife, Erica, got a new job and moved the family from Wahpeton, N.D., to Fargo while he was gone for a year. His two daughters attend a different school now. By: Mike Nowatzki , INFORUM
Coming home from Iraq means a lot of changes for Glenn Manor.
His wife, Erica, got a new job and moved the family from Wahpeton, N.D., to Fargo while he was gone for a year. His two daughters attend a different school now. He plans to go back to college, as well.
But Manor seemed perfectly at home Wednesday at Fargo's Hector International Airport, where he and 94 fellow soldiers with a North Dakota Army National Guard company were welcomed home with cheers, tears, smiles and hugs from family and friends.
"The thing about home, honestly, it's right here," said Manor, 29, bending down to kiss his 6-year-old daughter Jeana's head, her hair tied back with a white ribbon. "Everything else is just location."
About 130 members of the Fargo-based 191st Military Police Company returned on a chartered flight from Fort Lewis, Wash., where they had arrived Jan. 5 and 6 to go through demobilization.
The company, which has detachments in Mayville and Bismarck and members from more than 40 cities, was mobilized in October 2007 and began active duty a year ago.
While serving in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, the soldiers did a "tremendous job" of training Iraqi citizens to become police, said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard.
As a result, the level of violence and number of incidents in that area decreased by about 95 percent, said Sprynczynatyk, who visited the soldiers in September.
"It was pretty clear that they not only provided security in the area, but the training they provided is much of the reason why we're able to get a gradual drawdown of (troops) from Iraq," he said.
About 40 company soldiers were dropped off in Bismarck on Wednesday before the plane touched down in Fargo.
The soldiers emerged at the Fargo airport at 1:40 p.m. – about 15 minutes earlier than expected – and were greeted by Gov. John Hoeven, a color guard and more than 300 supporters cheering wildly.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Jeana screamed, waving an American flag at her father as he worked his way through the crowd toward her and her sister, Sheryl, 7, both donning black dresses and sitting on family members' shoulders.
"Tomorrow, can we go sledding?" Jeana asked.
"You and I have to go to school tomorrow," her dad answered, smiling at the idea.
"Awww," the girl said as her dad smooched her cheeks.
About 15 friends and family members surrounded Amber Mattson of Fargo, lifting signs to help her welcome home her husband, Sgt. Tyson Mattson. Those same people helped her get through the past 12 months without him, she said, joking that their three dogs have "been a handful" since he left Jan. 18 of last year.
"(I'm) just glad that he's home now and that we can get back to normal," she said.
Manor said the soldiers talked about how cold it would be in Fargo when they arrived. The wind chill made it feel like 30 below.
"But nobody cares," he said. "It's just home."
Sixteen members of the 191st decided to extend their tours in Iraq, most for four months, said Amy Wieser Willson, deputy public affairs officer for the Guard. Eight other members went directly to military schools, she said.