Acadiana soldiers are back home tonight after serving almost a year in Iraq. It's the conclusion of a story we brought you almost a year ago.
On July 31, 2019, Louisiana National Guard members were deployed.
Tonight, several of those members are back with their families here in Acadiana.
11 months after the Jauberts watched their son leave for Iraq, they welcomed him back home with open arms.
Jaubert was one of 50 Louisiana National Guard members of the 832nd Engineer Detachment to go to Iraq to support ongoing operations.
"I feel like I grew as an individual, maybe as a leader a little bit. Overall it wasn't a bad experience, I learned a lot. Definitely was crazy at times, but overall a good experience," said Jaubert of his deployment.
The Jauberts were one of several Acadiana families awaiting a soldier.
Calandra Gaddison and her children are happy to welcome home their husband and father, Sgt. Edward Gaddison.
"I just want to see my babies. I'm just glad to be home. Been a long time, a long road," Sgt. Gaddison said.
Gaddison is no stranger to going overseas. He was first deployed in 2013.
"My first two were a whole lot easier. I didn't have kids. I had my wife, but. I know it was hard on her, it was probably harder on her than me," he said.
Again, he said, "just glad to be back."
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