Army reservists are happy to return home

An Oklahoma Reserve unit is taking over the fueling mission.

By LAURE CIOFFI

VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU

FARRELL, Pa. — Maj. Michael Curtis gave his mother and his father a big hug.

“It feels good to be home,” said Curtis, 40, of Struthers, who was one of 12 Army Reserve soldiers to return from the Middle East on Tuesday.

Parents Eunice and Daniel Curtis say they are happy to have their son home safely — for a second time. He previously served in Iraq from 2003 to 2004.

The couple live across the street from their son, a graduate of Struthers High School and Slippery Rock University.

They said they’re just happy he’s safe and that he’ll be home to take care of his dog. Daniel Curtis said they have been looking after the 3-year-old Scottish terrier, Sunny, for the past year.

Curtis spent the last year in Afghanistan while the other members of his group, the 475th Quartermaster Group, moved around the Middle East supplying fuel for all military operations.

475th Quartermaster

Col. Jack Skelly, who led the first group from the 475th Quartermaster on this mission three years ago, said they move about 1.5 million gallons of fuel each day to keep the troops mobile.

“If it moves, we fuel it,” he said.

The 475th Quartermaster has sent three groups over for year-long deployments since 2005. The mission is now going to an Army Reserve Unit out of Oklahoma, Skelly said.

The group that returned home this week consists of five women and seven men who came from all parts of the United States.

Lt. Col. Saidell Moore of South Carolina was among the group brought into Farrell on Tuesday. She will be returning to the Carolinas today, where she was anxious to see her 2-year-old daughter.

But she didn’t mind the stop in Farrell: “It feels great to be back on American soil,” she said.

cioffi@vindy.com