| The 285th Area Support Medical Company returned to Columbus on Sept. 16 and gathered at Central Crossing High School. Pictured here SPC Joshua Gautney and son, Jonathan, 4, locked eyes and arms following a 15-month deployment to Iraq. Jonathan, who celebrated his fourth birthday last month, was three at the time his father was deployed to the Iraq War. Gautney and his family live in the Dayton area but plan to move back to Gautney’s home state of Florida following his return home. About 80 troops were honored in a welcome home ceremony at the school which included a special performance by The Ohio State University Pep Band as well as a welcoming home party that included about 600 family members and friends. The 285th ASMC, known as the Desert Eagles, were originally scheduled to rotate home in June. The medical support group got extended in duty until September and includes medical specialists ranging from doctors and dentists to x-ray and lab technicians. |
