Get in the Patriotic Spirit With These Sweet Soldier Kisses
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Celebrate the land of the free and the home of the brave with some pictures of the men and women of America's armed forces being welcomed back from overseas to the opened arms of their loved ones. The touching homecoming embraces are so sentimental, I bet you'll break out into "God Bless America" before the end of the album!
Lance Cpl. Jeffery Brant got a big welcome home kiss from his girlfriend, Brooke Africa, on May 12, 2008, at Camp Lejeune, NC.
US Marine Staff Sergeant Chris Carlson kissed his wife, Kasie, as she held their 21-month-old son Ryan during the homecoming of Helicopter Squadron 466 from Iraq on July 22, 2003, at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego. His squadron's routine six-month deployment became more than a year spent overseas due to the war in Iraq, making it one of the longest deployed units in the Marine Corps.
Sgt. Patrick Hopkins embraced his fiancée, Cara Benz, when he returned from a yearlong tour in Iraq with the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division on July 30, 2010, in Fort Bragg, NC.
A couple shared a not-so-private kiss upon the return home of the 300 Airmen, the last Air Force personnel from Iraq, at Baltimore Washington International Airport in Baltimore on Dec. 20, 2011.
Savannah Dejong greeted her husband, Daniel, with 1/3 Marines Bravo Company upon his arrival home to Hawaii on June 13, 2010, following a seven-month deployment in southern Afghanistan.
Capt. Tory Burgess of the US Army's 4th Brigade kissed his wife Kathleen's belly on July 16, 2003, at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA, after returning home from Iraq.
US Army Military Policeman Marc Runge and his wife, Valerie, shared a sweet kiss after a welcome home and award ceremony on July 26, 2002, at Fort Polk, LA, following seven months of deployment.
Major Steve Moore kissed his wife, Emily, when he arrived home at Baltimore Washington International Airport in Baltimore on Dec. 20, 2011. He was one of more than 300 Airmen, the last Air Force personnel to return home from Iraq.
US Army Sgt. Joseph Heim kissed his 4-year-old son Ayden after surprising his family by returning home from a seven-month deployment at an MLB baseball game on June 1, 2013, in Philadelphia, PA.
Tech Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo kissed his wife, Lalaine, when he arrived at Baltimore Washington International Airport in Baltimore on Dec. 20, 2011. He was a part of the last Air Force personnel group to return home from Iraq.
Specialist Marqes Turpin of the 273rd Military Police Company of DC Army National Guard kissed his 2-year-old son Josiah Turpin during a homecoming ceremony on Oct. 16, 2012, in Washington DC after a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan.
A US Army soldier from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, embraced his girlfriend after he returned from a yearlong deployment in Iraq at Fort Myer, VA, on August 28, 2010.
One of the the last Air Force personnel to return from Iraq, Major Steven Vilpors, Commander of the 22nd Expeditionary Weather Squadron, kissed his wife, Joanne, while giving his son Connor a ride on his shoulders at Baltimore Washington International Airport in Baltimore on Dec. 20, 2011.
Army Spc. Leo Leroy gets a kiss from Regina Leroy and maybe some licks from dogs Yoshi and Bruiser at Fort Hood, TX, on Nov. 28, 2009.
Andrew Thai kisses his wife, Sarah, as his daughter, Mikalah, sleeps, upon his return to Hawaii on June 14, 2010, following a seven-month deployment in southern Afghanistan.
A paratrooper is welcomed home to Fort Bragg July 13, 2008.
Tara Johnson sheds a tear as she kisses her husband, Staff Sgt. Nathan Johnson, upon his return from Iraq on July 2, 2003, at Camp Pendleton, CA. Just in time for the Fourth of July!
A Marine fresh from Iraq plants a kiss on his wife in 2003.
One of 300 Marines is welcomed home to Camp Lejeune, NC, in 2008.
US Army Sgt. Jatorrio Brooks holds his wife, Stephanie, and son, TyReeq, during a homecoming ceremony in 2008.
Nicole Rodriguez kisses her husband, Richard, a sailor based on the the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, as he returns from deployment on Nov. 10, 2001.
Matthew Burleson of the Illinois Army National Guard is welcomed home with a kiss from his wife, Nadine, in 2009.
Sgt. Joshua Hanafin gets a kiss from wife Elizabeth on May 4, 2008, in Fort Stewart, GA.
At a 2006 homecoming ceremony, Gunnery Sgt. Deborah Dangremond kisses her son, Tyler, 4, as her daughter, Basia, 3, watches with a smile.
US Army Staff Sgt. Davis Wolfe kisses his wife, Kristine, and greets his 13-month-old daughter, Faith, in 2006.
Meghan Gibson greets her fiancé, Spc. Aaron Evans, in 2006.
Jennifer Chapman embraces her husband, Dustin Chapman, with a kiss upon his return from Iraq on Nov. 9, 2005, in Fort Bragg, NC.
Sgt. William Frizzell kisses his wife, Amy, in February 2005, during a homecoming celebration for 150 soldiers from the Army's Third Infantry Division in Georgia.
US Army soldier Ben Chane kisses his wife, Windy, upon returning in 2004 with other members of the Utah National Guard after a 14-month tour of duty in Iraq.
In 2004, Army Sgt. Cody Smith kisses his wife, Kelsie, while his nephew Brandon looks on in Salt Lake City.
Erin Doherty gives boyfriend Warren Van Allen a kiss pier-side after the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt returned home to Norfolk Naval Station May 29, 2003.
Army Ranger Sgt. Jason Hillebrand kisses his wife, Kelly, after returning from a four-month deployment in Afghanistan.
An American sailor kissed a young nurse in this iconic photo from V-J Day in Times Square in NYC on Aug. 14, 1945.