CAMP WILLIAMS — Brenton and Brandon Webb know what they want for Christmas — Dad to be home.
Dad, also known as Sgt. Donald Webb with the Utah Army National Guard 1457th Combat Engineer Battalion, is in Iraq. But it looks like January will be the soonest he can make it home.
Families of soldiers with the 1457th, in Iraq for most of 2003, met Saturday night for dinner and words of support from each other.
It also helped a little that Colonial Flag, one of the evening's sponsors, threw in a little patriotic ceremony.
Gen. Brian Tarbet offered encouragement.
"I want you to know what a great job your soldiers are doing," he said of the "go to" unit, known for getting high profile assignments.
"They're going to finish their mission. . . . They're going to come home and we're going to give them one whale of a reception," Tarbet added. He told families to keep their heads up and that "it ain't over till it's over.
"It's over when they're back here in this parking lot and, God willing, we'll have them back in April." There currently are about 3,000 National Guard and Reserve troops from Utah serving in Iraq.
After his speech, Tarbet said he is confident a spring homecoming will happen because the wheels already are in motion to mobilize replacements for the 1457th.
That was good news for lots of people on hand Friday.
Charn Burton's husband, Lt. Col. Jeff Burton, has been deployed for 11 months.
"It seems like an eternity," she said. Her children generally see the stronger side of Mom, but there have been many times she can't help but cry.
Elinor Smith was in the National Guard and served in Desert Storm. Her husband Sgt. 1st Class Brett Smith, also in Iraq, has four children at home who'd like to see his safe return. She helped organize Saturday's event.
"I really thought it was important for all of us to get together for Christmas," Smith said. She has helped coordinate efforts to send gifts, care packages and Christmas decorations to the troops.
The ones who struggle most, Smith added, are the kids, who she says make the biggest sacrifice. On Saturday, they received gifts including framed pictures of their fathers, dog tags and teddy bears.
Some soldiers were lucky and able to be at Camp Williams with their families.
Spc. Bryan Olchek has been stationed in Baghdad, living with the threat of violence as his battalion helps restore order and rebuild war torn areas. "It's a daily thing," he said of ongoing threats.
Soldiers who are killed in Iraq make the news back home and people think the worst, he says. "In reality, that's not all that's going on over there. Not all the people over there hate us."
Iraqi children will often approach soldiers and practice their English. "They love to ask you your name," Olchek says.
His mother, Barbara Olchek, beamed by her son's side, glad he's home, if only for a short time until heading back to Iraq. "We're thrilled — it's hard to explain."
Capt. David Horlacher leaves today for a return trip to Iraq after being with his wife and four kids in West Valley City for two weeks.
"The kids really needed to see their dad," he said. More slots are opening up for leave time, he added, and more soldiers should be making it home soon. In the meantime, his wife, Ione, who is earning extra money as a massage therapist, is holding down the fort at home. "She's doing a good job being a single mom."
Horlacher will miss Christmas Day with his family, but Heather Avila will indeed get her biggest holiday wish — the return of her husband, Michael, in the next few weeks. The Avilas have a 3-month-old son and live in Tooele.
"I'm excited," Avila said. "It's just such a blessing he can be home for his baby's first Christmas."
E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com