Soldiers from the 1083 Transportation Company of the Louisiana National Guard returned home in time for Thanksgiving Monday after four months in Tikrit, Iraq.

In January 2008, the 1083 Company received alert orders for deployment in Iraq.

“[Deployment] is something we signed up to do. It’s just our calling.,” said Jimmy Smith, E-6 Staff Sgt with the 1083. “We knew we had a mission to complete.”

Many of the soldiers spent their remaining months with friends and family. In the case Smith, a Bossier City native and graduate of Airline High School he married his long time girlfriend Pam shortly before deploying.

On May 25, the company traveled to Camp Atterbury — about 100 miles south of Indianapolis, Ind. — and 19 days later they deployed to Camp Speiker, in Tikrit.

While the soldiers served in Iraq their family members suffered anguish from the distance.

“I did not want him to go but I knew that’s what he did,” said Pam Smith, wife of Jimmy.

“It’s been hard. The kids wanting him there all the time. Having someone in bed to go to sleep with and wake up to, and talk to. It’s like losing your best friend.”

Although suffering homesickness technologies such as Skype eased the anxiety.

“I was in Iraq 20 years ago and we did not have those capabilities. Just to do it this time it made home a lot closer just to talk to the kids,” said Smith.

In Iraq the 1083 ran convoy missions transporting supplies and equipment throughout Iraq. Five months into their tour the 1083 received word that they would go on leave. They would arrive two days before Thanksgiving. The anticipation of returning home was almost as taxing as the anxiety of deployment.

“The days were long I did not think it would ever get here. When it was actually time to leave I had to pinch myself a couple of times to make sure I was actually leaving. But once I got on the plain and took off I knew it was time to come home. to know I was actually leaving,” said Smith.

The soldiers flew from Iraq, to Kuwait, to Germany, a quick stop in San Antonio due to bad whether, to Dallas, and to Shreveport. They spent over 25 hours trying to get home.

“First thing I am going to do is take a shower then we are going to go to diner then I am going to drink an adult beverage,” said Smith. “Then I am going to fry some turkeys for Thanksgiving.”

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