It was a very exciting experience for me and my husband Richard to meet my cousin, Amelia Davis, for the very first time.

Family and friends held a welcome home celebration April 5 to mark the safe return of U.S. Air Force A1C Hollie Burgess of Romeoville. Burgess was home on R&R after serving seven months. On active duty for almost two years, Burgess is a 2005 graduate of Romeoville High School.

After serving over 20 years of active duty service, Sgt. Major Paul D. Thomas, a 1987 graduate of Joliet West High School, retires with honors. A retirement ceremony will be held this weekend in honor of his retirement at the base at which he serves in Fort Carson, Colo.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Cheryl S. Scaglione, of New Lenox, is receiving a Bronze Star for her actions as the officer in charge of the 732nd Expeditionary Support Squadron's combat stress control clinics in Iraq. She was deployed in 2007 and is part of the first group to receive this award during Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in Iraq, her squadron provided combat stress control to U.S. Army and coalition forces to sustain combat capability and force strength.