Politics & Government

Video: Mother Reunites with Son After He Returns from Afghanistan

Sgt. Alre Palms was one 230 Marines of Camp Pendleton's Combat Logistics Regiment 15 to return from Afghanistan Thursday.

Editor’s note: We plan to post more video clips from the homecoming. To make sure you’re updated on that and other local news, subscribe to our daily newsletter.

Veda Palms, of Fort Valley, GA, hadn’t seen her son, Sgt. Alre Palms for about 14 months. She waited for him as he deployed for a year to Afghanistan’s embattled Helmand province. So, understandably, she was anxious to find him as he got off a bus early Thursday morning on Camp Pendleton and was lost in a sea of some 230 returning Marines.

Once she found him, she gathered her family and ran into an embrace and kissed her son.

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When asked how she felt, Palms couldn’t use words. Instead, she hugged and kissed her son again.

"That's how I feel,” she said. "That's the best description I can give"

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For Sgt. Palms the Afghan mission is over and he can now enjoy his family.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s been a long year, but I’m glad to be home.”

The Marines are part of the 1st Marine Logistic Group’s Combat Logistics Regiment 15. The unit’s mission was to maintain operational momentum in Helmand province, spokesman 1st Lt. Taylor Morrison told Patch.

The unit described its accomplishments in a recent release:

“There definitely have been vast security improvements in Helmand,” he said.

The unit planned and coordinated 535 combat logistics patrols, coordinated the movement of more than 1.2 million gallons of fuel throughout the battle-space, coordinated and executed more than 150 helicopter support team missions, and executed nine major base transfers or closures in support of base realignment and closure operations.

"I couldn't be more proud of the work our Marines and sailors did," said Col. Stephen D. Sklenka, commanding officer of CLR-15.  "Our goal was to provide uninterrupted logistics support that maintained the operational momentum of the [International Security Assistance Force Marine Air-Ground Task Force].  That was our fundamental objective, and I'd like to think we did just that."

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