TULLAHOMA, Tenn. — Karen Williams got the best Mother’s Day present she could have ever hoped for Sunday — the safe return of her 21-year-old son after a yearlong tour in the Middle East.

Mrs. Williams, of Chickamauga, Ga., assembled a welcome party for Spc. Gary Williams at the Tullahoma Armory, where his 283-member Tennessee National Guard unit is based. The 1175th Transportation Company had flown into Fort Bragg, N.C., last week for processing, then to Smyrna, Tenn., on Sunday morning before arriving in Tullahoma by bus around noon.

“It’s been hard,” she said, cradling her son’s 9-month-old niece Emmie, who wore a T-shirt with “Welcome Home Uncle” embroidered on it. “When he was on base, I got to talk to him about every other day. But when he was out on a mission, it would be a week or 10 days. Those days are long, not knowing if he’s OK.”

The unit had been moving heavy equipment back and forth from Kuwait to various locations in Iraq since last summer, and all of its members returned safely, according to the commander, Capt. Hud Moore. It was the company’s second deployment in three years.

“We were hit 15 times, and three of our trucks were totally lost,” Capt. Moore said. “But there was not a scratch on anyone.”

Still, said Karrie Swafford of Dunlap, Tenn., there was no shortage of worry on the home front.

“It’s scary,” Mrs. Swafford said as she waited for her husband, Staff Sgt. Dion Swafford. “But I’m proud of him.”

The Williams and Swafford families were two of about 10 Chattanooga-area groups waiting for their loved ones Sunday. They joined a crowd of hundreds of people deep waving posters and cheering to welcome the busloads of soldiers. The buses was escorted in a motorcade by local law enforcement and about 50 motorcyclists with the Patriot Guard Riders.

“We wanted to show our support,” explained rider Ken Nunley, a retired soldier from McMinnville, Tenn. “Regardless of your political standing on the war, it’s the soldiers. We’re here for the soldiers, to pay honor and respect.”

The city of Tullahoma wanted to do the same, said Community Coordinator Debi Graham, who organized refreshments and decorations for the occasion and invited the mayor and police chief to attend.

“This was perfect,” she said, “especially on Mother’s Day.”

Staff Sgt. Gary Miller, of Whitwell, Tenn., said he was impressed with the large turnout.

“All of these people here, that’s what makes it worth it,” he said just after reuniting with his wife, Renee Miller, and 6-year-old niece, Chelsey Floyd.

Mrs. Miller said she looked forward to taking her husband out to his favorite restaurant, Red Lobster, while Chelsey was more interested in making good on her threat to bite his ear during a long-anticipated wrestling match.

Staff Sgt. Miller was excited to have the time to do both.

“I’ve missed being able to go the store when I want to, to eat what I want to, to not be on the military’s schedule anymore,” he said. “My wife asked me, ‘What’s your itinerary?’ And I said, ‘I don’t have one.’”

Spc. Williams will eventually be returning to classes at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. But on Sunday, he had something else on his mind.

Though he had spent the past year driving trucks, the large military vehicles wouldn’t travel above 45 miles per hour, he said. So as his family and friends headed home to the block party they had organized for him, Spc. Williams grabbed the keys.

“It’s been forever since I’ve driven a civilian vehicle,” he said. “I’m gonna hit the highway.”

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