Can you describe how you felt coming home from a deployment or combat?

It is a mix of excitement and adjustment for sure. It helps to transition “gradually” and attend family support and other family reunification events if they are available.

Lost! I felt lost when I came back from Iraq. Still had to report back to the unit to conduct inventory and cleaning of equipment by it was somewhat of a mix bag of feelings. Feeling happy that I was back home to be with family and friends but at the same time I had to find and play the role of Dad again, and hopefully find another job in due time. Had problems re-adjusting for the first 2 weeks being hyper active and sensitive. Especially when I went to Fry's Grocery Store one day loading my groceries in the car and the person next to me was loading her groceries as well in her truck and slammed the tailgate shut which made me flinch and hit the ground so fast that I thought it was an IED or something. My wife did not know why I reacted like this until I had told her. Thank GOD that in time this passed and was able to overcome it.

Homecoming should not ever be stressful event at anytime of one's return from any Active duty service after deployment to war zone. One war zone being Vietnam war. While PCS station was Naha, Okinawa for 14 months. spent over eight months in go in & out of Vietnam & several other countries via Crew Chief on C-130A cargo aircraft. Once was able to return to the States with feelings of being proud serving in that war. WOW! You are kidding me. Many hi-school friends & other folks I hung out with treated me as though I was a mobster killer. But, After proudly serving 26 years in Air Force Reserves & 5 years & 5 months active duty all on C-130 cargo aircraft along with being deployed to many other world events that the United States has been involved. Today have been Thanked & Praised for my service in the Military. Hence forward to close this chapter in my life of being blessed to serve those many years & bring the C-130 cargo aircraft I was in charge of back home safety. New chapter is now in progress being retired & enjoy my freedom.

I served in the Operation Enduring Freedom Campaign in Kuwait at Camp Doho as a nurse. I did get a chance to go in to Iraq to work at a special field clinic. For me serving overseas was one of the best opportunities I have had that taught me how to serve others not only as a nurse but as a comrade. We took care of the Iraqi civilians, POWs, and each other during a time of conflict and not one time was I ever afraid. I developed close connections to the civilians we cared for and cried when they left us in a bag. Walking in a place where sone of the major biblical figures walked also gave me a spiritual boost such that I don’t think I have ever been the same. I’m fact when I returned to the States and getting off that plane where families were attending made me feel so proud for serving my country. In fact I cried tears and from that day forward try to live every day to it’s fullest.

The exhaustion and has been working for seven months straight. My mind was tired, but more importantly, my spirit was negative and tainted from the toxicity of the environment, which is to be expected from a deployment. It was great to see my family and we had a big cookout upon my arrival home. The fact we brought everyone from the unit back home was a positive as well. It took me about a full six months to a year to be really home though. People were fairly supportive too, even if I was grumpy at times. I look back on it with fondness now and a sense of accomplishment. I miss the men and women from the unit through the tough and fun times. It is an experience that I would not trade and made me a more mature and other-centered person today.

I felt disconnected. I wasn’t used to caring for or worrying about my children everywhere I went. I even caught myself about to leave my 18 moth old in the car by mistake. Thankfully my wonderful husband was there to remind me about the baby.

I was nervous to come home from Iraq. It was during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and I was scared we would be sent there since that is where my battalion was out of, but thankfully we were not. I was happy to see my daughter who was just born when I was activated and was 20 months when I got home. It was a relief to be where I could relax without daily explosions and to be able to shower barefoot.

Always without fail...swamp butt. Trying to have a heartwarming reunion and you know without a doubt that you not only stink, there's sand, lots of sand. And you love everything about being back, but all you want is a shower. Even when I showered the day I flew out. Did I mention sand?

My deployments were super short and relaxed, so coming home didn't feel much different from returning from vacation. The biggest thing was always the excitement to see my dog again.

relieved, joyful, nervous/anxious