Community support wanted for soldiers

March 27, 2005

CASEY RESSLER/Frontiersman Valley Life Editor

As more than 70 Alaskans - including 25 from the Valley - finally come home from Iraq, their families are preparing an areawide celebration to show support for the troops.

The 411th Engineer Combat Battalion - a group of U.S. Army Reservists - is returning home to Fort Richardson sometime between April 1 and April 11. As a result, family members are hoping to have yellow ribbons throughout the Valley, Eagle River and Anchorage.

"We are working with DOT to have yellow ribbons all along the highway coming out from Anchorage, and we are hoping businesses and regular people have yellow ribbons out - anything to show support," said Sarah Burdan, wife of Sgt. David Burdan, a combat medic with the 411th Engineers. "We want the whole area to really welcome them home."

The group includes 76 Alaskans, Burdan said, and she estimated that 25 are from the Valley.

She isn't sure the exact date of their arrival, so a two-week celebration is planned from April 1 through April 14.

"We are making ribbons, and other people can make ribbons, and we are hoping people will have banners up and everything," Burdan said. "They can e-mail me at sburdan@411engineers.us if they want a banner to display."

She said people can also call her at 841-7734.

"This is all about Alaskans supporting Alaskans," Burdan said. "We're so proud of them."