Returning soldiers meet their babies

FORT SILL, Okla. (AP) – About 30 soldiers based at Fort Sill have returned home after a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan, with seven meeting their babies for the first time.

The Lawton Constitution reports the soldiers were joined by one civilian as they performed a field artillery mission before arriving home on Saturday.

Colonel J.P. Maddaloni said there were seven babies meeting their dads for the first time at Saturday’s ceremony.

The civilian is Lockheed Martin field service representative Kenny Sullens, who is a retired sergeant from the Oklahoma National Guard. Sullens had volunteered to work on the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems launchers.