SURPRISE HOMECOMING � Youngsters Gavin, 7, Raven, 3, and Randall Foster, 2, got a big surprise yesterday when they were reunited with their mom, Virginia Foster, who has been stationed in Afghanistan with the 205th Engineering group since last August. The happy family is pictured above at the surprise reunion.

COMING HOME
THE DAILY NEWS

Locals in Afghanistan -- Local men serving the United States in Operation Freedom in Afghanistan are shown as they were preparing to go on a training exercise on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter over the mountains of Kandahar. From left, front row: Spc. Nicholas Tranchina, Covington; Spc. Chase Branch, Pine; PFC Chance Rhoden, Franklinton; Spc. Chad Wascom, Amite; back row: Spc. Rudy Lambert, Covington; Sgt. Matthew Turner, Bogalusa, SSG Daryl Barber, Franklinton; Spc. Shane Guylette, Amite; Spc. Cassidy Gerald, Pine.

Jason C. Bales
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS � Air Force Airman 1st Class Jason C. Bales has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Byron J. Barletto
COLUMBUS, GA � Army Pvt. Byron J. Barletto has graduated from One Station Unit Training (OSUT) at the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning in Columbus. The training consisted of basic military training and advanced individual training.

Andrew C. Baylis
ARABIAN GULF � Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew C. Baylis, whose wife, Danita, is the daughter of Deborah and Frank Milstead of Carriere, Miss., and his fellow crewmembers recently hosted actor Ben Affleck aboard USS Enterprise in the Arabian Gulf.

Theresa Beaudoin
OGDEN, UTAH � Theresa Beaudoin has been promoted in the U.S. Air Force under the Stripes for Exceptional Performers program to the rank of technical sergeant.

Christopher W. Bell
PETERSBURG, VA � Army National Guard Pvt. Christopher W. Bell has graduated from the field services specialist advanced individual course at Fort Lee in Petersburg. This new Army military occupational specialty incorporates both the laundry and shower specialist and the fabric repair specialist courses into one career field.

Jeremy V. Bell
PARRIS ISLAND, SC � Marine Corps Pfc. Jeremy V. Bell, son of Heidi A. and Randy L. Bell of Franklinton, LA, recently completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S. C and was promoted to his current rank.

Jeremy V. Bell
ATHENS, GA � Marine Corps Lance Corp. Jeremy V. Bell, the son of Heidi A. and Randy Bell of Franklinton,LA, recently completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, SC, and was promoted to PFC.

Kellie Gerald Blackwell
BOGALUSA � PFC Kellie Gerald Blackwell of Bogalusa enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 2001. She chose the MOS of 91K which is a medical lab tech.

Robin N. Bolton
NORFOLK, VA � Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Robin N. Bolton, daughter of Carol B. and Joseph R. Morgan of Bogalusa, LA, recently reenlisted for two years while serving aboard the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, homeported in Norfolk.

Jesse J. Bordelon
COLUMBIA, S.C. � Army National Guard Pfc. Jesse J. Bordelon has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia.

Michael S. Bourda
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS � Air Force Airman Michael S. Bourda has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.

Shannon L. Bowers
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS � Air Force Airman Shannon L. Bowers has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.

PATRIOTIC PRESENT -- Spc. Chase Branch, left, brought flags that flew over his base in Afghanistan home to donate to two local schools that are special to him, Pine High School and Angie High School. Above, he is picture with Assistant Principal Kendall McKenzie, raising one flag over his Alma Mater, PHS.

SURPRISE!
Soldier welcomed home for surprise visit

Charles R. Brice
FT. KNOX, KY � Charles R. Brice has graduated from the Army ROTC Leader's Training Course at Fort Knox, Ky. The camp is a four-week leadership internship for cadets who are normally between their sophomore and junior college years.

Logan J. Brouillette
IRAQ � Pfc. Logan J. Brouillette, a native of Bogalusa, LA, is serving as an Apache crew chief with the U.S. Army in Iraq.

Jon-Paul Brown
BILOXI, MS � Air Force Airman 1st Class Jon-Paul Brown has completed the weather apprentice course at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.

Richard Harold Brown Jr.
KUWAIT � Staff Sgt. Richard Harold Brown Jr., a native of Bogalusa, LA, is serving in Kuwait with the U.S. Army's 296th Transportation Batallion.

Rocky O. Brumfield
SAN DIEGO, Calif. � Navy Seaman Recruit Rocky O. Brumfield, nephew of Inez Brumfield of Bogalusa, La., recently reported for duty aboard the guided missile destroyer John Paul Jones, home ported in San Diego.

Bucano
GREAT LAKES, Ill. � Navy Seaman Apprentice Jyl N. Bucano, daughter of William E. Bucano of Poplarville, Miss., recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, with honors and was promoted to her current rank.

Cory M. Buffalo
KUWAIT � Franklinton, LA, native, and Foxworth, MS, resident, Cory M. Buffalo, 20, is serving with the U.S. Army at Camp Virginia in Kuwait.

Mary Duea Burns
FT. RUCKER, AL � Major Mary Duea Burns of Bush, LA, has returned home from active duty after serving six months at Fort Rucker. Burns was called to active duty as part of reserves in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Nathan R. Byrd
IRAQ � Pfc. Nathan Ramsey Byrd, a native of Bogalusa, LA, is serving with the U.S. Army's 15th Transportation Division in Iraq.

Justin Clay Carroll
KUWAIT � PFC Justin Clay Carroll is serving with the U.S. Army' s 82nd Airborne in Kuwait. He is the son of Karen Colleen Stogner and Milton E. Stogner of Poplarville, MS, and Ronnie Lee Carroll and Sue Carroll of Bogalusa, LA.

David G. Casier
MEDITERRANEAN SEA � Marine Crops Sgt. David G. Casier recently made his way through the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea while assigned to the 26th Marine Exped-itionary Unit, based in Camp Pendleton, CA.

David G. Casler
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC � Marine Corps Sgt. David G. Casler, whose wife, Mari, is the daughter of John Edgar of Carriere, Miss., recently completed a two-week bilateral training exercise with Albanian military forces while assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based in Camp Lejeune, N.C. The unit is currently aboard the USS Iwo Jima.

Sgt. David G. Casler
CAMP LEJUNE NC -- Marine Corps Sgt. David G. Casler, whose wife, Mari, is the daughter of John Edgar of Carriere, MS., recently returned from an eight-month deployment embarked onboard the USS Iwo Jima, while assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.