To Iraq and back: Two Dexter soldiers arrive home in time for the holidays

DEXTER, Mo. -- It was the best Christmas present a pair of local families could have received. Two sons returned to Dexter from the war in Iraq and spent the Christmas holiday with their loved ones.

"These two represent all of our local boys who serve overseas," said American Legion Post 59 commander Jerry Seabaugh in welcoming home Army Spc. Eric Kirkpatrick and Pfc. Jason Vaughn in a Christmas Eve ceremony at the post.

"When we found out that we had two local boys returning home for the holidays from Iraq," Seabaugh said, "we just decided to give them a proper welcome and to offer them a heartfelt thanks for all they've done to secure our freedoms."

Kirkpatrick, son of Doug and Debbie Kirkpatrick of Dexter, enlisted in the Army in September 2003 and was first deployed to Iraq in February 2006.

"I came home on Oct. 31, 2006," he said, "and redeployed a year later in October 2007."

Having just returned from that deployment, Kirkpatrick is scheduled to depart for a third tour this month.

Vaughn graduated from Dexter High School in 2003, immediately enlisted in the National Guard and was part of a Guard unit based in Little Rock, Ark. He deployed to Iraq in January 2008 and arrived home in December, after serving in war-torn Iraq for nearly a year.

"For the most part," Vaughn said, "I helped provide convoy security from base to base."

For Vaughn, another tour of Iraq is on the horizon, but not until June. He has transferred to the local 1221st Transportation Company of the National Guard and is on the list of volunteers to return to combat.

"Although I'm scheduled to go back in June, I'm hopeful that I'll get bumped up and be able to go back sooner than that," he said.

When local American Legion officials heard of the pair's homecoming, plans came together quickly to provide a welcome ceremony complete with well wishes from Mayor Joe Weber and presentations by Rep. Billy Pat Wright in the form of resolutions from the House of Representatives.

Weber, himself a decorated veteran, commended Kirkpatrick and Vaughn and officially welcomed the two back to their hometown Christmas Eve, saying, "We certainly appreciate your individual contributions to our country, and we all are very proud of you for all you have done."

"Welcome home," Weber told the returning soldiers, to a standing ovation at Post 59 that included family members of the soldiers, along with members of the post.