US Navy Lt. Junior Grade Nimesh Vaidya, of Warrington, right, receives a Hero’s Welcome by the Warriors’ Watch Riders Oct. 11 after returning home from a year-long deployment in Djibouti, Africa. Montgomery Media photo / AMANDA NOLAN
Vaidya, 32, who arrived home at 10 a.m. Oct 11, thought his girlfriend simply needed to make a quick stop at Kohl’s department store in Blue Bell; when they pulled into the parking lot, however, they encountered rows of American flags, all held high by members of the Warriors’ Watch Riders, an organization that provides motorcycle escorts for military personnel returning from duty.
Click here to see a photo gallery from the homecoming celebration
About a dozen WWR members surprised Vaidya on that cold and cloudy afternoon, each shaking his hand and some even hugging him.
“He’s earned it,” said Lee Weinstein, assistant state coordinator for WWR.
“I did not have any idea” they would be there, said Vaidya, who holds a degree in computers and information technology from Penn State Abington. “It definitely felt good. Everybody says, ‘We respect your service, we honor what you guys do for us,’ but this [hero’s welcome] validated that type of comment.”
During his most recent deployment, Vaidya, who has served for the last 13 years, said he was “doing financial work” for the Navy while in Djibouti.
“I was in charge of the Navy’s second largest dining facility,” he said. “I was running the entire place. I had about 108 people working for me. It was kind of like running a restaurant, but on a bigger scale.”
To thank him for his service, the WWR gave Vaidya an honor coin, Weinstein said. Continued…
“It was great to see my family and friends all back together, and to just catch up,” Vaidya said.
He said it’s also great to return to his life at home: “When you’re overseas and in that type of environment, life is kind of put on hold for you.”
Follow Dutch Godshalk on Twitter @DutchGodshalk.
Vaidya, 32, who arrived home at 10 a.m. Oct 11, thought his girlfriend simply needed to make a quick stop at Kohl’s department store in Blue Bell; when they pulled into the parking lot, however, they encountered rows of American flags, all held high by members of the Warriors’ Watch Riders, an organization that provides motorcycle escorts for military personnel returning from duty.
Click here to see a photo gallery from the homecoming celebration
About a dozen WWR members surprised Vaidya on that cold and cloudy afternoon, each shaking his hand and some even hugging him.
“He’s earned it,” said Lee Weinstein, assistant state coordinator for WWR.
“I did not have any idea” they would be there, said Vaidya, who holds a degree in computers and information technology from Penn State Abington. “It definitely felt good. Everybody says, ‘We respect your service, we honor what you guys do for us,’ but this [hero’s welcome] validated that type of comment.”
During his most recent deployment, Vaidya, who has served for the last 13 years, said he was “doing financial work” for the Navy while in Djibouti.
“I was in charge of the Navy’s second largest dining facility,” he said. “I was running the entire place. I had about 108 people working for me. It was kind of like running a restaurant, but on a bigger scale.”
To thank him for his service, the WWR gave Vaidya an honor coin, Weinstein said.
After greeting Vaidya in front of the Kohl’s, the riders jumped on their motorcycles and escorted him to the California Pizza Kitchen in Plymouth Meeting, where his friends and family were waiting to celebrate his return.
“It was great to see my family and friends all back together, and to just catch up,” Vaidya said.
He said it’s also great to return to his life at home: “When you’re overseas and in that type of environment, life is kind of put on hold for you.”
Follow Dutch Godshalk on Twitter @DutchGodshalk.
PHOTO GALLERY & VIDEO: Warrington man receives hero"s homecoming in Whitpain after year ...
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen