FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. -- Soldiers from the 515th Engineer Company were greeted at the North gate Monday evening with the sound of wailing military police vehicles and the roar of more than a dozen motorcycles as they made their way toward a welcome home ceremony concluding the unit's yearlong deployment to Afghanistan.
Hundreds of friends and family members cheered as 76 Soldiers marched into Nutter Field House.
"You have just completed what is, no doubt, the most difficult mission in Afghanistan," said Lt. Col. Chris McGowan, 5th Engineer Battalion commander. "And it would not have been possible without the support of those that are with us here today to welcome you home."
McGowan applauded the accomplishments of the Soldiers and their families throughout the deployment, but said that their homecoming did not come without sacrifice.
"Your return is not without sorrow as we continue to mourn the loss of our Sapper brothers, 1st Lt. Ivan Lechowch, Spc. Steven Gutowski and Pfc. David Drake," he said. "Their sacrifice will never be forgotten."
Lechowich, Gutowski and Drake died of injuries suffered during a route clearance mission in Afghanistan when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device September 28, 2011.
A moment of silence was offered following the chaplain's prayer.
With prayers and commander's comments complete, the evening's ceremony concluded with words of encouragement from the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood chief of staff, Col. Scott Spellmon.
"My hope for you over the days, weeks and months ahead is that you have the opportunity to grasp the enormity of what you have accomplished," said Spellmon. "Those objectives remain vitally important to the Army's overall mission and it is made possible through the blood, sweat and tears that you poured into Gazni province over the past 12 months."
Spellmon encouraged attendees to celebrate the safe return of their Soldiers and released the company to embrace their loved ones.
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