“It was really surreal, in the morning, cleaning the barracks, getting everything packed, and then getting on the bus,” said Spc. Levi Amrine. “It was awesome to see all the support [along the way]. We were looking out the window at all the people.”

It was an emotional wait for the families. This was the third welcome home ceremony for Meri Lipper of Burlington. Her husband deployed for the Gulf War. He left again when the 224th deployed in 2004-05.

“This time, it’s for my son, Logan,” Lipper said.

Her cell phone rang. Someone was calling to tell her the buses had made it to Fairfield. They also told her the turnout was “unbelievable” with well-wishers lining the street and crowding into medians to welcome the 833rd home. She began to cry.

Someone expressed concern. “It’s OK,” she said gently, “It’s the good kind of crying.”

“It’s unbelievable,” said Theresa Wilson of Fairbank, mother of Jared Wilson. “I can’t believe it’s finally here. It’s always seemed so far away.”

The waiting was tough for everyone, even those in uniform.

“Right now, there’s still a weight on my shoulders,” said Sgt. Dan Hoy of the 833rd as he waited for the bus to arrive.

Hoy was injured during the unit’s first tour in Iraq, and was forced to stay behind for this deployment.

Later, around 5 p.m., Meri Lipper said things had not quieted down much as the family arrived back in Burlington, where they were getting ready to go out for a celebratory steak dinner.

“[The emotions] are just relief and excitement,” she said. “Everybody’s on a high.”

That includes Logan.

“I’ve never seen him smile so much in my life as he is today,” she said.

The 833rd’s commanding officer, Capt. Ben Lampe, was smiling, too, as he played with his children after the ceremony.

“Thank you for the overwhelming support, not just today, but throughout the year,” said Lampe when asked for a comment. “A deployment like this isn’t easy. The support of the people of the community, and of the businesses, we can’t be more proud. It makes things so much better. For what it’s worth, we are very appreciative.”