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Home For Christmas: Northview Grad Among Last Troops Out Of Iraq
December 21, 2011
A Northview High School grad was one of the last U.S. Army soldiers to cross the border last weekend as the war in Iraq ended. And this weekend, he’s hoping to be back home for Christmas.
SPC Andrew Bolen is a member of the U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Squadron, 82nd Airborne. He was deployed April 17 with a tour expected to last 12-18 months, but the end of the Iraqi war has cut that deployment short.
“It’s an honor to say we got to finish something that great soldiers before us started, giving closure to our fallen comrades” Bolen told NorthEscambia.com in an exclusive interview from Kuwait Tuesday as he awaited a long flight back to the United States. So far, there was no word on what day that flight will be. He will return first to his home in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for Christmas, with plans to soon visit his hometown of Byrneville.
“I’m very happy he’s coming home; you just don’t know how happy I am,” his mother, Ruth Bolen, said. “He’s my Christmas present.”
Bolen and his wife Meghan have two children — 18-month old Gabriel and Gracelyn who was born July 29, in the midst of his deployment. The 2007 Northview graduate is the son of Ruth and Rae Bolen of Byrneville.
Comments
26 Responses to “Home For Christmas: Northview Grad Among Last Troops Out Of Iraq”
Welcome Home Andrew !!!!!
welcome home andrew! We are so proud of you. Hope we can get together sometime, id love to meet the person youve grown to be and wouldlove for you to meet my daughter. merry christmas and safe travels!
Welcome home Andrew
Welcome Home, Battle!
There is no doubt that you and your team have contributed to the overall success of the mission and the closure you speak of is definitely appreciated by the families and friends of the Fallen. We Engineers certainly appreciate the help!
Enjoy your time state-side. It’s well-earned. I’ll be home for a few days around New Year’s. Hopefully, I’ll get to run into you.
Again, Welcome Home!
SGT Stro
Welcome home Andrew
Thank you for all you have done, for our country.
Congrats to you and Meghan on your new additions to the family…
Have a wonderful Christmas holiday & a Happy New Year.
Kudos on a job well done Andrew. Welcome home.
Andrew, thank you for your service to our country….you grew up to be a good man and I know your parents are proud of you ….stay grounded in the Lord on your journey in life….God’s Blessings to you and your family for a beautiful Christmas season.
Welcome home Andrew.
Thanks for everything you have done for your country.
Welcome home!!!
Welcome home Andrew. I know this will be a wonderful Christmas for you and all your family. Thank you so much for all you have did for our country. God Bless you and Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Welcome Home Andrew! Thank you for your sevice, pride and sacrifice to our country. Congratulations Maghan, Ruth and Rea I know you are proud and relieved to have him home. May God Bless you all; Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Dale, Pam and Lily Townson
Welcome home!!! Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Welcome home Andrew – glad you will soon be back soon —Ruth and Rae I know you are extremely happy to have Andrew on the way home….Thanks to you and all the other men and women who serve our country….we love ya’ll ……
What great news to be at the top of Latest News on North Escambia .com
It’s great to hear of another troop to come home safe. Thanks to all troops
(my brother who come home safe) for what you do for our country.
Bless you and your family.
Agnes Grant
Welcome home Andrew! Thank you for your service to keep us free!
Welcome home Andrew! Thanks for your service to our Country! I wish you a very Merry Christmas and may God Bless you and your family!
Welcome home! No better news for a mom or wife than to have your soldier come home, especially from deployment!
Thank you for your service. I have a great respect for our military.
Merry Christmas!
Just wanted to say thank you for the job that you do for this country. We are so glad to know that you guys are finally coming home. Be blessed and have a great Christmas with your family!
We are so happy for you Andrew. And for your precious children to have there Dad home. I know the rest of the family is just ecstatic that you are on your way home. God is good, all the time.
Great that you will be home for Christmas and I know the others are happy too! Thank all of you for what you have done for us! Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year to you all!
Welcome home, Andrew.
congrats man glad to have you back you back on US soil! you better come see me when you can. Sophia needs to see her “uncle andrew”. Love you man!
Thank you for all you’ve done Andrew. Freedom is the biggest blessing I could ever recieve and I am thankful to you for fighting for mine along with my family and loved ones. I’m happy that you will be able to spend Christmas at home with your family. Congratulations on that and thank you once again!
Welcome home soldier. Thanks for all you have done for our country. Glad to see a safe return and i know your family is overfilled with joy. We stand behind the military 110%. Congradulations.
Father of a fallen Marine.
So proud of you Andrew. Thank you for all that you have done.
Congratulations SPC Bolen. Glad you will be home for the Holidays. Take care and tell your folks I said hello please.
SFC Ewing