ATLANTA,None — The last of the U.S. troops remaining in Iraq crossed over the border to Kuwait Sunday morning, and many of those troops are heading to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Some soldiers are just passing through, while others are making Atlanta their final destination, but the USO filled the terminal with patriotism and pride on Sunday.
The U.S. had troops in Iraq for nine years, and since their first tour, the USO and other volunteers have come to the airport to greet soldiers heading home.
"You're over there, and you hear about people saying we support our troops, and you come back and they're waiting there for you. That's a big morale booster right there," Staff Sgt. Bobby Rhodes said when he returned on Sunday.
Rhodes said he knows his loved ones back home want to know if the time spent in Iraq was worth it.
"It will be years before you actually truly know what happens. But, we hope. That's all we can do," Rhodes said.
Capt. John Eldredge said he left Iraq with a sense of accomplishment. As American troops were moving out, Iraqis were moving in.
"They're going in the right direction. You've got the militants that are over there right now wanting to make it look like they're chasing us out, but the bottom line is, we went over there to do what we were supposed to do, and it's over. We're finished. And things are improving over there," Eldredge said.
Frank Klarnet said he has greeted returning soldiers for nearly seven years, and while the focus for many on Sunday was the troop withdrawal, he noted that not every soldier in the airport was heading home, many are on their way to Afghanistan.
"I just hate sending them back. Brings back memories. But, you give them a smile, and you're there for them while you can, and always will be," Klarnet said.
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