Two reservists' return home delivers sweet surprises

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
VIENNA -- Ten-year-old Alan (A.J.) Vandootingh and 45-year-old Master Sgt. Richard Cornelius got the best birthday presents they could have asked for when 38 members of the Air Force Reserve's 910th Airlift Wing returned home from Germany Friday.
For Alan, it was his father, Major Jeff Vandootingh's return after about six months at Ramstein Air Base as part of Operation Joint Forge.
Alan's mother, Diana, wanted to keep her husband's return a surprise for Alan's birthday. And somehow, she and Alan's teachers at Mines School in Howland, and other friends and family members in on the surprise, managed to keep it a secret until they unfurled a flag saying, "Welcome Home Dad."
"Is he really," said a stunned Alan, when he realized what was happening.
Diana had brought Alan to the Air Station on the pretense of a family function and told him the planes were delivering a cargo. Alan's birthday was Aug. 31, but a party is planned for today, Diana said.
"Just Call Me Grandpa," the words on the blue baseball hat he was handed as he greeted his family, revealed Cornelius' story.
He held in his arms for the first time his first granddaughter, Kayli Cornelius, who was born July 24. Cornelius' birthday was Friday.
Kayli's parents are Craig and Angel Cornelius of Austintown. Sgt. Cornelius and his wife, Laura, of Mineral Ridge, have four other sons, Sean, Ryan, Ian and Michael, and two daughters, Kristin and Katie.
Delayed return
The two C-130s bringing the 910th members home touched down about 2 p.m. But, because of a couple of previous false starts, the reservists probably wondered until the engines finally shut down if they were really going to see their family and friends.
Originally, they were scheduled to return on July 22. One of the planes was about 20 minutes out over the Atlantic Ocean, and the other, Vandootingh's, was on the runway ready to take off when they were called back.
"In 18 years of service, I've never been that close and called back," Vandootingh said.
A few weeks later, they were packed and ready to go again when the orders changed and they again stayed in Germany.
Members of the 910th will remain activated until at least February or March 2004, meaning they can be deployed again. For instance, a week ago, 30 to 40 reservists from the 910th were sent to an undisclosed location in the Middle East.
Catch-up time
But, for now they will have some time to catch up and get reacquainted with their families and friends, and vice versa.
"I'm so excited. It's unbelievable" to have him home, Diana said. Among her plans are to celebrate their wedding anniversary, which was May 8, and Father's Day.
"The best part is having our family complete again," Laura said.
Laura said the whole family believes in what her husband is doing. But, getting a taste of single motherhood for a few months, she said, "If he's ready to retire, I'm ready to retire."
"I hated to go, but I really believe in what we're doing," Cornelius said.
Vandootingh has two sons in Sandusky, Ian and Erik, whom he planned to watch play football Friday night.
"It's good to be home," he said.
alcorn@vindy.com