Carson City family welcomes home their hero, soldier
Nothing could rain on Robert Glass’s parade today, not even a steady drizzle coating the tarmac at Reno Tahoe International Airport (RTIA) Friday afternoon as his plane touched down from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
He was coming home.
Following a 10-month deployment to Kuwait, the U.S. Army Specialist and Nevada Army National Guardsman was about to reunite with the most important people in his life.
Back home safe and sound into the arms of a loving family waiting anxiously for him at the bottom of the escalator inside the airport’s main terminal.
His wife, Cindy, was experiencing all of the emotions of a military spouse Friday in the moments leading up to her husband’s arrival.
“We’ve all missed him very much,” she said amidst tears of joy. “He’s ecstatic to be home. He’s ready. We’re all ready.”
Glass, an 18-year veteran of the United States military whose career includes a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps, left Carson City in April 2016 bound for Kuwait in the Persian Gulf, halfway around the globe from his loved ones.
Cindy said his return couldn’t be soon enough for her and the rest of the family, but he’s back now and that’s all that really matters.
“It’s been really difficult the last few months because we’ve had some family illnesses, and he’s missed all of that,” she said. “To have him back and to have him here for support again, we’re just happy that he’s safe and sound.”
Dozens of others huddled in front of the escalators to welcome home their loved ones, too, families and friends anxious for the soldiers to be home and back in their lives.
About a dozen other Northern Nevada guardsmen arrived with Glass, whose deployment featured assignment in the 422nd Signal Battalion and attached to Charlie Company, Cindy Glass said.
As Glass stepped off the escalator from the upstairs concourse, his 16 year-old daughter, Cassidy, rushed to hug her dad.
Cindy was right behind her, embracing her husband for the first time in almost a year.
Then Glass’s son, Connor, followed by his parents, a brother and nephew, mother-in-law, best friend and several other good friends all joined in the celebration, warmly welcoming their soldier home.
Months of missing one another were made up for over several long moments of reunion at RTIA, where Northern Nevadans have made a habit over the years of giving their soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen a well-deserved welcome home.
Glass said this moment was the culmination of days of emotions after being told he was returning home from his duty.
As soon as he got the news from command, Glass said he’s been all smiles since.
“I had a big grin from ear to ear,” he said. “All I could think about was my girls and coming home to the three most important women in my life: My wife, my daughter, and my mom. It just feels good.”
Glass’s journey home – from the hours-long flight overseas to his last layover in Dallas-Forth Worth – had finally reached its end.
“I’m finally home,” he said, “and happy to be back.”
Glass said his plans for now are to just savor being home with family, getting back to being a husband and a dad at home where he has longed to be since last April.
“My game plan is to spend quality time with family and work on my house,” he said. “There’s a lot of things going through my head right now and I’ve got a lot of projects to do around the house.”
Glass said he does have a civilian job waiting for him to get back to as well, but he wants time to settle in at home first.
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