Marine Sergeant Brett Flavin will be home for less than a week, but he told me he'll savor the celebration in his honor at the airport, the precious time he will have with his family.
Sergeant Flavin arrived early on US Airways, flight 150 Thursday afternoon. His mom was the first to wrap her arms around him.
"I miss him already," said Dee Pollace.
"This is great," said Sgt. Flavin. "I wasn't expecting this at all."
Sgt. Flavin has already served two tours of duty. He is currently stationed at Camp Pendleton with his wife and two young sons, and will be deployed for a third time, in about two weeks, to the Middle East.
"I'll be here until Sunday; then I'll go back home and spend about a week with them before I leave," said Sgt. Flavin.
"It's fantastic to have him home, especially since he's only going to get to spend a few days here, and then get deployed again for about a year," said Bill Flavin.
"A Hero's Welcome" volunteers presented Flavin with a piece of a retired American flag that says, "Carry me as a reminder that you are never forgotten."
It's an especially proud day for Sgt. Flavin's grandfather, Harvey Pennell, who retired from the Air Force twenty years ago.
As loved ones and "Warriors Watch" escorted him through the airport, another Marine Corp parent made sure he was on hand to pay his respects.
"A couple weeks ago, after boot camp, we walked our son through the airport, and we were that family," said Rabbit McClintock. "This is my son, Cody!"
Sergeant Flavin told me, he was anxious to see his sister, Chelsea, who just gave birth to a baby girl.
Philadelphia Police, along with Middletown Township, Falls Township Police and Falls Township Fire Number One were also at the Airport to welcome Sgt. Flavin home.
