Four soldiers, two-week leave

Anticipation at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Monday afternoon was almost palpable. Four families decked out in patriotic T-shirts, carrying American flags and red, white and blue Mylar balloons were waiting for an airplane. Four soldiers from the National Guard's 1140th Engineer Battalion were coming home for a two-week visit with families they hadn't seen since January. The men have been in south Iraq since March.

The families learned Saturday that the soldiers would get their two-week furlough. Two wives kept it a secret so they could surprise the men's parents. One woman even kept it from her children so their father could turn a routine Monday afternoon into a special day.

Sgt. Jonathan Welter of Chaffee, Mo., Sgt. Frank Maevers of Cape Girardeau, Sgt. Keith Mays of Sikeston, Mo., and Sgt. Robert Sams of Olive Branch, Ill., got on an airplane in Iraq early Saturday and headed to Germany. From there they went to Atlanta, Ga., then to St. Louis and finally to Cape Girardeau.

In the terminal, tears began flowing, cameras came out of pockets and purses, and everyone gathered at the door.

The plane taxied in and came to a stop. When the door opened, all that came out were duffle bags.

"We don't care about luggage!" one relative exclaimed.

Finally a figure in tan desert fatigues filled the doorway and walked down the steps.

"There's one," a voice in the crowd said. "Who does he belong to?"

And then there were four soldiers striding into the terminal, and the hugs and tears began for real.

Paulette Maevers and her daughter, Ame, were waiting for Paulette's husband, Frank. Ame was wearing a T-shirt bearing the legend "My father, Frank Maevers, is my hero."

The first place the Maevers family was going to was Frank's parents' home. They didn't know he was coming home.

"They don't get out that much," Paulette Maevers said. "His mom is real emotional. I didn't let anybody know he was coming. I'm going to ring the doorbell and go in and tell them that there's something out on the porch they need to go get."

Cindy Sams of Olive Branch said she planned to surprise her husband's parents in the same way. She also kept the secret from her two children, age 12 and 7.

"It's going to be a surprise," she said. "He'll be home for the 7-year-old's birthday."

Mays was overjoyed to meet his 6-week-old son, Denver, for the first time.

"Words can't describe it," he said, holding the baby close. "It's unbelievable. It's overwhelming to hold him. It's fantastic to be home, to see and touch my family. It's great."

Mays told Dixie Burnett of Oak Ridge that he received all the care packages the 1140th support group sent to Iraq. He said getting packages from home was like having a little bit of the family in the tent with him.

Burnett was among the extended family greeting Welter, her nephew, who was passed around among his relatives to be hugged and welcomed home.

"It feels great," Welter said. "I've been waiting to come home to see everyone, especially my nieces and nephews."

Welter said that although he was glad to be back, if only for two weeks, he knows he needs to return to duty.

"My guys are still there, and I've got to be there with them until we get the rest of the guys on their way home," he said.

Welter said he could not comment about what his unit was doing, but he said he was in no danger.

His grandmother, Lucille Halter of Chaffee, was unconvinced.

"He's in Iraq," she said. "He's in danger."

Frank Welter, Jonathan's father -- himself a 35-year member of the National Guard who served in Panama and Honduras -- said that after all the excitement dies down a little he and his son will probably sit down by themselves "and have a conversation about how it really is over there. I know there are some who say it's not like what you see on the news."

Jonathan Welter joined the Guard when he was 17, his father said. A brother, Douglas, is serving in the U.S. Air Force.

Frank Welter said he worries about his son in Iraq because it's not easy to recognize the enemy in that country.

"I did not worry so much about him when he was in Bosnia," Frank Welter said. "I know things could have happened in Bosnia also, but all those car bombings and stuff in Iraq ... ."

But for the next two weeks, four families won't think about the war in Iraq. Burnett said that for the next two weeks Welter's family is going to have a Halloween hayride, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's celebrations while Jonathan is home.

Mays is going to learn how to change diapers and give bottle feedings to his son, and spend some time with his 11-year-old daughter, Taylor. Sams and his family will enjoy some barbecue and spend time together. Maevers will relax and enjoy being with his family, something he's earned because he let the younger men in his unit take their two weeks off before he took his. Some of those young men, his wife said, were away from home for the first time.

And they all concurred that the next two weeks will pass quickly.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160