Sen. Klobuchar Welcomes Home Troops In Brainerd
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- After more than a year of dangerous missions, 131 soldiers are home.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar was in Brainerd as part of a welcome home ceremony for the Army Reserve's 309th Engineer Company.
She said the soldiers got a warm and well-deserved welcome.
"It was a year and a half mission. It was a daunting mission. They acted in the true spirit of the United States Army, with courage and selflessness," Klobuchar said.
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The unit had the highest rate for explosive device finds of any other task force in Afghanistan. Klobuchar said they got more than 90 combat action badges and over 40 Purple Heart ribbons.
"And it was just a beautiful event," she said, describing the ceremony. "Even their own commander got choked up talking about the courage that they had when they had such a dangerous mission."
Five Bronze Medals, four Purple Hearts and six Army Commendation Medals were presented at the award ceremony, which took place at Central Lakes Community College.
"As good as our state is at wrapping our arms around our soldiers, you don't always realize that some of these missions are so dangerous," Klobuchar said. "The soldiers know it, and their families know it."
The commander said they brought all the Minnesota Soldiers home with 10 fingers and 10 toes, and that was their goal.
