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Families disappointed by parade turnoutBy GARY HERRONObserver staff reporter“What a shame,” Terry Jahnke of Edgewood said Sunday afternoon, as he and his family awaited on High Resort Boulevard for the parade of returning soldiers.Jahnke was disappointed in the turnout for the special welcome-home parade” that day.They didn’t have much trouble finding a spot along the road: There were probably only a dozen or so spectators in that area by the time the parade began at about 2 p.m., not many more along a short stretch of Broadmoor, and then a huge throng that lined both sides of Loma Colorado between the high school “horseshoe” and the entrance to the Performing Arts Center.“This is depressing,” noted another man, walking next to his wife, who was pushing their child in a stroller.In other words, a much better •parade route would have beenfrom Rio Rancho High School to the PAC. The returning soldiers were driven on a flal-bed truck to the PAC; Blue Star Mothers and the RRHS JROTC were the only ones that marched; there wasn’t a band present to provide patriotic music.Terry and Anne Jahnke, another of their sons and Anne Jahnkc’s mother, were nonetheless happy for the return of their son, Brian Carrington, a member of Task Force Cobra.They’d already seen Brian when he arrived the previous‘week at Briggs Field at Fort Biiss in El Paso.And they’d been at the Rio Rancho Armory during a special celebration to welcome home the troops, who’d served 15 months in Iraq.Still, the parade was a happy occasion to again show their love and support.Terry Jahn k told of his service to his country: He spent 27 years in the Air Force and had been a • pilot on an AC-130 gunship in Vietnam. During his stint, he had been stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base and so moving to New Mexico upon retirement was a natural thing to happen.Brian Carrington, 27, had finished his schooling when the family lived in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and didn’t plan to stay in the Land of Enchantment, his father said., Instead, he was headed to California, where he and his fiancee would live.Carrington had joined the New Mexico Guard and spent 4Vi years with the Rangers, spending one year helping to guard a gate at KAFB.In 2005, and by then stationed at Camp Navstar, Terry Jahnke said, he and his wife communicated with their son regularly via e-mail He was about a click inside Kuwait,” he said.Carrington’s unit provided convoy support for HumVces,-he said,“I think he got shot at one time; all in all, they did pretty well,” he said.Meanwhile, Anne Jahnke was making a sign; the family had planted flags nearby to showObserver—Tom Treweek photoFive-year-old Conor Akers of Albuquerque, above, dressed in uniform and waved a flag. Others made signs to welcometheir heroes home. Although few people attended, those there went above and beyond to usher the members of the New Mexico National Guard's 111th Combat Service Battalion, below, back from their tours of duty.V *■^:-r■,*' y*\W - Cv '-T-. t1 : - -'•*; •their support.Terry Jahnke was asked if he gave his son any encouragement about making the military a career, as he had done for 27years.“Get the hell out of the Army,” he said. “I told him all along he should have joined the Air Force.”Observer—Gary Herron photoObserver—Tom Treweek photoA.vFriday Saturday 25th,-v..Vi*' . --aways)tV '1520 Deborah Rd. Suite C(Behind Burger King off Rio Rancho Blvd.)• ri **. ■’ :5 *.■ yfaf:•***• •*%* i,S‘ i■ Ml
Newspaper Details
Rio Rancho Observer
Rio Rancho, New Mexico, US
Thu, Nov 23, 2006
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Justin Y.
NA, 25 Jul 2020
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