SGT RUSSELL SOSA, USMC - HOMECOMING CELEBRATION

SGT RUSSELL SOSA, USMC - HOMECOMING CELEBRATION IN ANGLETON, TX - MAY 9, 2009.
OPENING PROCESSION BY ANGLETON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPT AND THE BRAZORIA COUNTY CALVALRY.

BELOW IS A STORY THAT RAN IN THE BRAZOSPORT FACTS:

Warriors get taste of home

By Katlynn Lanham
The Facts




Published May 11, 2009

Two area soldiers whose futures include time serving in Afghanistan visited their families before their deployments — Marine Sgt. Russell Sosa will return to the country later this year, and Army Pvt. Carol Clifton will go for the first time in June.

Clifton joined the Army in March 2008, and has spent the last eight months serving in Germany. The military policeman is home to visit her family and will go to Afghanistan after a brief return to Germany, she said.

She joined the Army to travel the world, she said, but her time away hasnt been easy.

It was hard, Clifton said. Ive never been away from home before.

Clifton said she missed the greenness of Brazoria County and having parties with her family.

Her family has missed her and know they will miss her again when she is deployed for another year.

The hardest thing was knowing you cant just turn around and shes there, said her mother, Sherri Vossler. Its been scary.

But Lee Clifton said he knows his daughter will be fine.

She was raised in the country, he said. She knows how to fight.

But he leans on a higher power to get her through this year.

Pray for her safe return, Lee Clifton said.

Russell Sosa enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2004, and plans to stay in the service for the next 15 years.

He currently is stationed in California as a career retention specialist, but will deploy to Afghanistan as a radio operator at the end of this year, he said.

I support him 100 percent, said Julia Sosa, his wife. I knew when I married him this would be my life.

Russell Sosas parents, Brian and Rebecca Cates, also support his decision, they said.

When he told me, he said the jobs not done and he needed to go back, Rebecca Cates said. It takes a really strong man to do it.

But Rebecca Cates will still miss her son, she said.

Its hard every time, Rebecca Cates said. But God protects him.

Russell Sosa is living the life he always dreamed of since he was a little boy. He had two uncles and an aunt who served in the Marines, he said.

They were always the coolest thing in the world to me, he said.

When Russell Sosa was 17 years old he went to a recruiting office and joined the Marines, he said.

Hes turned out real well, said Brian Cates. Were proud of him.

As the family sat around a table for a picnic, the Brazoria County Cavalry joined to thank him for his service.

Its amazing, Russell Sosa said. Texas is the only place I can come home and feel loved.

This is what keeps us going, he said.

Russell Sosas sister, Bridget Carter, set up the soldier ride for her brother.

I love my brother, Carter said. I wanted him to have an awesome welcome home.

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Thank You for everything you do for us.

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