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Family members wait at Fort Bragg, N.C., for paratroopers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, to return from a nine-month deployment in support of Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve on March 9, 2016.

Family members wait at Fort Bragg, N.C., for paratroopers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, to return from a nine-month deployment in support of Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve on March 9, 2016. (Allan Baros/U.S. Army)

Family members wait at Fort Bragg, N.C., for paratroopers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, to return from a nine-month deployment in support of Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve on March 9, 2016.

Family members wait at Fort Bragg, N.C., for paratroopers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, to return from a nine-month deployment in support of Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve on March 9, 2016. (Allan Baros/U.S. Army)

A boy embraces his father during a welcome home at Green Ramp on Fort Bragg, N.C., March 9, 2016. The paratroopers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, returned home from a nine-month deployment in support of Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve.

A boy embraces his father during a welcome home at Green Ramp on Fort Bragg, N.C., March 9, 2016. The paratroopers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, returned home from a nine-month deployment in support of Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve. (Allan Baros/U.S. Army)

Lt. Cmdr. Sean Gray, executive officer of the USS Texas, see his 7-week-old daughter, Vivian, for the first time. Vivian and her mother, Jennifer, were are Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on March 9, 2016, for the return of the submarine following its Western Pacific deployment.

Lt. Cmdr. Sean Gray, executive officer of the USS Texas, see his 7-week-old daughter, Vivian, for the first time. Vivian and her mother, Jennifer, were are Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on March 9, 2016, for the return of the submarine following its Western Pacific deployment. (Michael H. Lee/U.S. Navy)

Soldiers with the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade's 1st Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment returned to Daytona, Fla., on March 10, 2016. The troops were greeted by family and friends following a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

Soldiers with the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade's 1st Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment returned to Daytona, Fla., on March 10, 2016. The troops were greeted by family and friends following a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel. (Ching Oettel/Air National Guard)

Friends, family and even pets were on had March 10, 2016, when soldiers from the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade's 1st Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment returned home to Daytona, Fla.

Friends, family and even pets were on had March 10, 2016, when soldiers from the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade's 1st Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment returned home to Daytona, Fla. (Ching Oettel/Air National Guard)

Family members hold up signs March 13, 2016, at Naval Base Ventura County, Calif., where they welcomed home family members from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3.The Seabees were coming back from a six-month deployment to the U.S. Pacific Command area of operations.

Family members hold up signs March 13, 2016, at Naval Base Ventura County, Calif., where they welcomed home family members from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3.The Seabees were coming back from a six-month deployment to the U.S. Pacific Command area of operations. (Stephen Sisler/U.S. Navy)

Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Rainmaker, a fire controlman, hugs his wife after the USS Carney returned March 13, 2016, to Naval Station Rota, Spain. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer had been conducting a routine patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Rainmaker, a fire controlman, hugs his wife after the USS Carney returned March 13, 2016, to Naval Station Rota, Spain. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer had been conducting a routine patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. (Theron J. Godbold/U.S. Navy)

Cmdr. Kelly Laing, commanding officer of the Blue crew of the USS Maine, is welcomed home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash., by his family following a routine strategic deterrent patrol.

Cmdr. Kelly Laing, commanding officer of the Blue crew of the USS Maine, is welcomed home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash., by his family following a routine strategic deterrent patrol. (Amanda R. Gray/U.S. Navy)

Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin Cain, a machinist?s mate (Nuclear), assigned to the Blue crew of the USS Maine, is welcomed home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash., by his girlfriend on March 16, 2016.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin Cain, a machinist?s mate (Nuclear), assigned to the Blue crew of the USS Maine, is welcomed home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash., by his girlfriend on March 16, 2016. (Amanda R. Gray/U.S. Navy)

Petty Officer Claro Marasigan, a culinary specialist, greets his sons, Cameron, right, and C.J., on March 17, 2016, following the return of the USS North Carolina to Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, after completing a six-month Western Pacific deployment.

Petty Officer Claro Marasigan, a culinary specialist, greets his sons, Cameron, right, and C.J., on March 17, 2016, following the return of the USS North Carolina to Joint Base Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, after completing a six-month Western Pacific deployment. (Michael H. Lee/U.S. Navy)

Coming home is the best part of any deployment.

With their home-made signs in hand, family members and friends line up near flight lines, parade fields and piers to wait for their loved ones.

Some deployments see sailors spending weeks, or even months, under the ocean. Others have soldiers spending time in places like Iraq or Afghanistan.

Lt. Cmdr. Sean Gray, executive officer of the USS Texas, got a special treat when his submarine pulled back into port recently at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii: He got to hold his 7-week-old daughter, Vivian, for the first time.

news@stripes.com

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