Chaplain Matthew Miller with his family
FORT BRAGG – Some waited for hours. Others only minutes.
But Brooke Miller said that's no comparison to the 13 months she and her family have waited for her husband Chaplain Matthew Miller to return home.
The soldier was one of about 300 paratroopers from the 1st Brigade to return home from Iraq Sunday. The brigade was the last of the 82nd Airborne Combat Team to return.
Although Brook said she missed her husband, she admitted she had an effective distraction.
About 300 paratroopers from the 1st Brigade returned home from Iraq Sunday
"I have three children -- and that speaks for itself," Brooke said with a laugh.
Chaplain Miller has been gone since last year. His four-month old wore a shirt welcoming his father's return. He was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, along with hundreds of other Fort Bragg troops.
"The anxiety this morning is absolutely ridiculous," Brooke said.
But families of the troops didn't stay anxious for long.
Although most of the troops came back Sunday after their deployment, some did not. Eight troops were killed in combat.
"It's unfortunate that we have anybody that loses their life. But we're all over there fighting not only against insurgents and terrorists that want to do bad things to us, but also the Iraqi people," said Unit Commander Lt. Col. Fred Drummond.
The ones who made it back said they're grateful to be home.
That was especially true for Chaplain Miller, whose wife met him with his favorite snack of a tuna sandwich and cold milk. He also got a chance to hug his family again.
"It was amazing," he said while holding his 4-month-old. "When we were in the formation, I literally just wanted to faint I was so excited. I was shaking just like everybody else was."