Hundreds of Ohio soldiers who have been waiting a long time to come home for the holidays finally got some good news. They finished a 14-month military mission at the southern border. After arriving at Fort Hood, Texas, they faced delays. But during Thanksgiving week, an important update gave hope to the soldiers and their families. The process to send them home has now started, and they should be home before the winter holidays.
The Agonizing Wait at Fort Hood
The story is about the 192nd Quartermaster Company. Most soldiers in this unit are from Milan, Ohio. They finished their 14-month mission and arrived at Fort Hood on November 18. They thought they would finish all paperwork in one or two weeks and be home for Thanksgiving.
But things did not go as planned. Hundreds of soldiers, about 2,700 at Fort Hood, waited without clear answers. Staff Sgt. Anthony Barkhurst said that about one-third of them were from Ohio. The soldiers were very stressed and upset. The system was very slow, only processing 89 soldiers every four days. This made it hard for soldiers to get home on time for the holidays.
Political Intervention and a Crucial Update
Ohio state leaders noticed the problem. Senators Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno were contacted. They said they were helping. Senator Moreno thanked the soldiers for their service. Senator Husted said he was working with the Pentagon to speed up the process so the soldiers could be home for the holidays.
Then good news came. Public Affairs Officer Robert Wooldridge said the demobilization process for the 192nd Quartermaster Company started on Tuesday morning. Soldiers are expected to finish by December 9 and start going home soon after. Fort Hood officials said they are making sure soldiers are ready for the transition.
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The Significance of Timely Demobilization
For the soldiers, finishing the process on time is very important. Demobilization is a military step to handle paperwork, health checks, and other matters before leaving active duty.
The earlier delays were serious. Soldiers’ orders end on December 31. If they were not demobilized in time, they could lose leave or housing money. Some soldiers are returning to meet newborn babies or attend important events. One soldier might have missed an important immigration interview in December.
Sgt. Alex Braholli said, “We followed every order. Now it is the Army’s job to send us home on time, in order, and with respect.” The soldiers worked hard during their deployment. The new timeline gives hope that these Ohio soldiers will be home for the holidays.
Disclaimer
The news information presented here is based on available reports and reliable sources. Readers should cross-check updates from official news outlets and military commands for the most current information regarding troop movements and policy changes.