It was a celebratory welcome home at the January 10 Rotary meeting for Lauren Woods, daughter of Rotarian Steve Woods and his wife, Janice. Lauren returned to the states and her family just before Christmas after serving for more than seven months in Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq as a first lieutenant in the Army National Guard.
Lauren recounted her time with the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Air Base Erbil as Executive Officer (XO) responsible for managing day-to-day operations of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment (HHD). Before she spoke, we got to see the emotional video of her surprise family homecoming.
Lauren, who has been to many club meetings over the years, received a standing ovation at the conclusion of her talk. She remains a commissioned officer and will soon return to her job as a school teacher in central Pennsylvania. |
