Soldier receives welcome-home party, thanks from Lindenhurst
Soldier Samuel Simpson Jr. appreciated being honored for his service in Iraq by Lindenhurst village officials and everyone who attended his welcome-home party Sunday afternoon, but there still was something else on his mind.
"I'm hungry and I'm going to eat," Simpson told about 75 guests who gathered at Lake Villa Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4308 on Grand Avenue.
Simpson, 21, served as a specialist in the Army's 3rd Calvary Regiment for more than a year in northern Iraq and returned to his Lindenhurst home in late February. He received the Army's combat action badge for his performance during one incident of enemy fire.
Before Simpson got to the fried chicken, ham and other food, Lindenhurst Trustees Patrick Dunham and Dominic Marturano and Clerk Patty Chybowski expressed their appreciation to the soldier on behalf of village residents during a brief ceremony.
Dunham, a naval reservist, said a brick with Simpson's name on it will be installed at the Lindenhurst Veterans Memorial. The village also crafted a certificate of appreciation for Simpson, an Antioch High School graduate.
"The only thing that gets you though tough times is support at home," Dunham told Simpson.
Simpson said the party and honor from the Lindenhurst officials made his day.
"It's really good to be back," said Simpson. "I enjoy seeing all the friendly faces."
Simpson's mother, Cindy, said she's just grateful her son came home from Iraq without any major injuries. His father, Samuel, said having the couple's only son away at war probably was more difficult on Cindy.
"I knew he'd make it back," the soldier's father said.
Simpson joined the Army after briefly attending College of Lake County in Grayslake. He's expected to depart his Lindenhurst home again in late March and eventually will be in Fort Knox, Ky., to train other soldiers as part of his two remaining years of active duty.
He touched on a few topics pertaining to his military life before the welcome-home bash.
Q: You entered the Army at age 18. What would you tell someone that age considering such a move now?
A: Really, if you don't plan on going to college right off the bat and want to work for a few years to earn extra money, go for it, but only sign up for as little time as you can. Three to four years I'd say, max. Get a taste, see if you like it.
Q: Do you think you've changed in any way after spending 15 months in Iraq? If so, how?
A: Yes, I'm a lot more aware of my surroundings and a lot more grateful for friends and family.
Q: Is there something we should know about what the military is doing in Iraq that perhaps we don't hear?
A: Yes, there is a lot, like a lot of the good things we do ... that the newspaper doesn't show because it's not an attention-getter. They don't want to know how we rebuild whole towns and villages. They don't want to now how we train the Iraqis with the same tactics we use. They don't want to know how we donate food and water all the time to whole towns and villages, everything funded by the military. The time we take and teach the Iraqi children simple math, science, arithmetic, etc. The list goes on.