FORKS TWP., Pa - About 60 soldiers came home to ecstatic children, families and friends Wednesday night after a nine-month peacekeeping mission in Egypt.
Firetrucks were parked outside the National Guard armory on Uhler Road, slinging a giant U.S. flag between their ladders.
- National Guard soldiers returned to the Lehigh Valley after a nine-month peacekeeping mission in Egypt
- Firetrucks lined the street outside the National Guard armory in Forks Township
- A National Guard spokesperson said the soldiers almost didn't make it home for the holidays
"It was a nice surprise," said Alex Dennis, a specialist with the National Guard.
He was one of the last soldiers waiting outside the dimly-lit parking lot. His brother, Tyler, who was picking him up, was running late.
"Oh yeah he's always running late," Alex said with a laugh.
"I'm happy to be back, but it's always a pleasure over there," he said, reminiscing about his time in Egypt. "Nine months of sitting out in the desert sun enjoying everything — it's surreal to be back here."
Guardsmen and women were called up in support of the Multinational Force and Observers, an international peacekeeping mission created under an agreement between Egypt and Israel.
"Nine months of sitting out in the desert sun enjoying everything — it's surreal to be back here."Alex Dennis, specialist with Pennsylvania National Guard
Alex said most of his role in Egypt was observation.
"So, watching over the Egyptians, watching over the peace treaty for the Israelis and the Palestinians and the Egyptians," he said. "So, it's a lot bigger than us obviously — but you know, it's always a simple job, and somebody has to do it at the end of the day."
As a loud pickup truck pulled into the parking lot, Alex said "hold on a second," and went to hug his brother, who appeared to have parked the vehicle, taken off the seatbelt, and fully exited the car in one impressively swift motion.
They hugged and patted each other on the back. Tyler appeared at a loss for words.
"It's been ... what ... freakin' ... nine months!" he said. They both let out a big laugh.
"I was flying over here," Tyler said, still managing to show up fashionably late.
A welcome surprise
After their reunion, they were planning a surprise party. Both the brothers were in on it, but their parents and the rest of the family were not.
That was to come next.
"It's for my parents basically," Tyler Dennis said. "They have no idea that he's here, and they're gonna flip crap. When he walks in they're gonna be like 'how the heck is he here?'"
He said their parents were under the impression that Alex wouldn't be home until mid-January. On Wednesday, Tyler told his parents he was going to be stopping by after work.
Alex Dennis said thinking of his family at home is what kept him getting up every morning while serving overseas.
A spokesperson for the National Guard said the timing of the homecoming almost didn't work out — paperwork had to be rushed in order to get the soldiers home for the holidays.
