Pocono News Section

Area soldiers return

Area soldiers return - Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 3:22PM EST

Reported by: David DeCosmo WYOU TV News
Thursday, Nov 20, 2008 @ 03:22pm EST
AVOCA, LUZERNE COUNTY- Family and friends were waiting at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Thursday as members of the 109th Infantry returned from a year long deployment in Afghanistan. Groups of the soldiers were aboard several different commercial flights arriving throughout the day.

Staff Sgt. James Coutts of Hawley was greeted by his wife, Maria, and other family members. Sgt. Coutts said 'It feels so good to be back in the USA. God bless the USA."
He asked people at home to continue to pray for the soldiers still serving in Afghanistan. Sgt. Coutts said "Its getting bad over there. Its getting worse!"

Sgt. Coutts wife Maria said "Now I can breath again. Now that he's back home I can take a deep breath and I can breath and cinder blocks of worry are off my shoulders.

Sgt. Coutts thanked the staff at the State Correctional Institution at Waymart for their support for him and his family while we was away.