Fort Worth Star-Telegram
DALLAS — Arlington firefighter Ryan Pugh, a specialist in the Army Reserve, received a wet welcome home Thursday after a nearly year-long deployment in Afghanistan.
In a “shower of affection,” fire engines shot sprays of water over the top of Pugh’s plane moments before it pulled into a gate at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, where family, friends and fellow firefighters gathered to celebrate his long-awaited arrival.
After reuniting with his fiancée, his parents and his older brother, Pugh said he was pleasantly surprised to see so many of his Arlington Fire Department friends and colleagues also waiting for him with hugs and handshakes.
“I missed those guys terribly. I’m overwhelmed by it,” said Pugh, who served in Kabul with the 302nd Military Police Company. “I definitely feel the love and support.”
Arlington firefighters regularly took up donations to send Pugh care packages with special treats such as Crystal Light drink mix packets and Oreo cookies, and even a fire department flag to remind him of home.
“Like all crews, we’re like an extended family,” said Engineer Neven Price, who has worked with Pugh for about three years at Station No. 7 in southwest Arlington. “We want to show him we support him and appreciate his service. He’s a good person all around and serves his country proudly and he serves the Arlington Fire Department proudly. We need more people like him.”
Pugh said those gifts and letters of encouragement from the department were a welcome distraction during the months he spent away from his mom and dad, Jeff and Connie Pugh, brother Nathan Pugh, and fiancée Holly Embree.
“It’s the greatest group of guys I’ve been with in my life,” Pugh said. “Whenever I was having a rough day, I could count on going back to my barracks and getting a letter or a care package from somebody. I love these guys.”
Arlington firefighters clapped, cheered and shouted out “Welcome home” to other reservists who also filed into the airport Thursday morning.
“It’s good to see any of the soldiers come home but it’s sweeter when it’s one of our own,” Arlington Fire Battalion Chief David Stapp said.
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