American soldiers get patriotic welcome home in Maryland

Baltimore County (Map, News) - As Air Force Staff Sgt. Glenn Bauman stepped into the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport terminal Friday, he saw whom he expected — his wife and three children, who jumped into his arms, all crying.

But he didn’t expect the throng of strangers in patriotic garb cheering, clapping and sharing his tears of joy.

“This is overwhelming,” said Baumann, an aviation mechanic from Dover, Del. “Not only is it great to see to my family after my third tour of duty, but to have people show how appreciative of what we do.

“What a way to spend the Fourth.”

Operation Welcome Home has greeted 8,000 troops arriving at BWI during the past year, but Friday’s event drew the biggest number of volunteers — 400 people — mainly because of the holiday, said John Flynn, co-director of the event.

Well-wishers, veterans and family members lined the concourse, thanking the troops, ringing cowbells, cheering and handing out water, snacks and tokens of appreciation.

U.S. flags, patriotic songs and plenty of red, white and blue donned the international terminal as 240 service members returned from Iraq and Kuwait.

When former Marine Diamond Kimos came home from the Vietnam War, he was welcomed by “rotten eggs, rotten tomatoes, names like ‘baby killer,’ ‘’ he said.

“But today, we [were] here to welcome these service members, tell them ‘Happy Fourth of July’ and that we are happy to see them home safe,” Kimos said.

BWI is one of the first stops for many troops coming from overseas.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Shane Rushforth, of Washington state, returned from his sixth tour of duty, connecting from BWI to South Carolina. Even though he knew no one at the terminal, it helped alleviate a long trip.

“It’s a huge morale booster,” he said. “It’s unexpected, but it’s much-needed.”

jflanagan@baltimoreexaminer.com