SOUTH BEND — It was a happy and unexpected homecoming Wednesday for 12 Marines from South Bend's Engineering Company B, home from a deployment in Afghanistan just in time for Thanksgiving. But the celebration wasn't supposed to happen, and it almost didn't.
61 Marines from Company B deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq last July, and were expected to remain there until March.
But, 12 of the Marines were assigned to assist another unit from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Turns out, they did their job so well, and so quickly that they were no longer needed after just five months.
That set the stage for a happy homecoming at South Bend Regional Airport Wednesday night, just in time for Thanksgiving.
"I'm excited," said Gwen Odem, of Albion, awaiting the arrival of her son Lance Corporal Ben Odem. "It's been a long time since we got to hug him."
For the Odem family, Ben's deployment evoked a roller coaster of emotions.
"It's been tough. We did a lot of praying. It's emotional when you don't hear from him for a day or two, you worry," Odem said.
But, Wednesday night, the only worry was when Ben would walk through the exit gate at South Bend Regional's Concourse A.
The nearly unbearable anticipation was evident on the faces of the entire Odem family as they waited, arms entwined with butterflies in their stomachs, waiting for Ben to arrive.
Then, the moment finally arrived.
As tears flowed, two simple phrases were repeated over and over.
"I love you," said family to Marine, Marine to family, husband to wife, boyfriend to girlfriend.
"Welcome home," said friends, nieces and nephews.
All had wide smiles, including the Marines themselves.
"It feels great to be home," L.C. Odem said, hugging his mother. "It was tough being gone, and I thought about home all the time."
"It's great," agreed Lance Corporal Matthew Reynolds, clutching his fiancee by his side. "We're going to surprise her family. They don't know I'm home. So, we're heading to Madison as soon as I get my bags."
But, there was some time for a sweet reunion first.
Reynolds and his fiance, Stacy Peterson, hadn't seen much of each other since their engagement in June.
To be celebrating their first Thanksgiving together as an engaged couple, unexpectedly, was a blessing, they agreed.
"It's the best gift I could have gotten for Thanksgiving," Peterson said.
"It's amazing. It truly is," agreed Company B Major Mike Simek. "As you can imagine, it's very difficult to get everyone back in time. And, we didn't know until [Tuesday] that they were going to be able to be back to their families for Thanksgiving."
"What better reason to give thanks than for these guys and gals who have served their country so well than to welcome them home safe and sound," Simek continued.
The Marines were released to their families Wednesday night, and will have a well deserved weekend off. They'll return to the Marine Reserve Center in South Bend on Monday to learn what their future might hold.
Still, amidst all the joy, there were also moments of reflection. Many of the Marines' thoughts are with those who couldn't come home this Thanksgiving and share their own happy homecoming with their families.
49 other Marines from Company B are still in harm's way--41 in Afghanistan and 8 in Iraq, Simek said.
"We'll be keeping them in our prayers," said Odem.
Some of them were close enough Wednesday to say those prayers together.
Beth Briskey, who serves as Company B's Family Readiness Group Adviser, was there to welcome the Marines home. But, her son Lance Corporal Derik Briskey, 23, of New Carlisle, wasn't among them.
It made the homecoming slightly bittersweet for her.
"It is a little [bittersweet]. But, mine's coming soon," Briskey smiled.
3 of Briskey's 6 children are in the military. Her daughter Katie, 22, also a Marine, just returned from her second tour in Iraq.
Derik's older brother Kevin, 26, a National Guardsman, deployed to Iraq just days after Derik left to begin training at Camp Pendleton in early July for his own tour in Afghanistan.
"Special thoughts will go out [on Thanksgiving] not only to my son, but to his fellow Marines and all of the units. So, I had to be here. Especially at this time of year, you need that little bit of uplift and a little bit of heartwarming. This was it. This was a great present," Briskey said.
And, the Marines who are home had presents of their own to look forward to.
Tops on their plates for the holiday weekend?
"Turkey is on the plate," laughed L.C. Odem. "Then, I'm ready to go do something fun."
For family and friends who have waited five months for that "full plate" feeling, the fun is already well underway.
"To be the day before Thanksgiving and to get to eat dinner with him when we didn't think we'd even see him for five more months, well, it's a miracle," said Gwen Odem. "It's really something to be thankful for."
