From left, Nick Davis, 9, of Alger, sits with friend Zachary Towne, 11, of St. Charles, at the Midland County Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon while taking a break from helping decorate the grandstands for Sunday's welcoming home ceremony for the Midland-based 1460th National Guard Transportation Company. Towne's father, E-6 Mitchell Towne, has been in Iraq for the past year with the company and his mother Kim Towne is the president of the Family Readiness Group along with Davis' mother, Lori Davis, who is acting vice president of FRG. The group, along with some friends and family members of the soldiers, met Saturday to prepare for Sunday morning's event. While Towne's father arrives home on Sunday, his uncle deploys to Iraq with the 1434th Engineer Company the same day from Grayling, Mich., and was there several days ago to say goodbye.
JOHN TULLY | jtully@mdn.net
Erica Braley of Hope Township attaches yellow ribbons to the fencing at the Midland County Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon while helping other family members and friends prepare the grandstands for the welcoming home ceremony of the Midland-based 1460th National Guard Transportation Company that will take place Sunday morning. Braley's husband, Sgt. Steven Braley, has been deployed with the company in Iraq for the past year. This is the second time he has been deployed, previously in 2003, but is the first time being deployed as a father. Their 2 year-old daughter was born on August 21, the date of their wedding anniversary and the date of his enlistment into the National Guard, all by coincidence, said Erica. "There are a lot of stresses, but it's hard to pinpoint," she said. "Not being able to call when you need or want to." She said once her husband is back they'll "spend a lot of time with family."
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